Survivors
by MNLMFangirl
Summary: When mysterious beasts appear attacking in secret causing the people around them to start acting weird the survivors survival skills are put to the ultimate test. Will they be able to stop this before it's too late? What are these beasts and where did they come from? This does contain yaoi, violence, most likely death, possibly some scary stuff and it is rated M for safety for now.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

It happened so very long ago.

I can't remember exactly how long ago as I began loosing count as the days dragged on.

But I can remember the events that took place as this all began.

When the world began to shift in a dangerous and dark direction. When humanity began to plunge down into the depths of no return just as people predicted for so long that humanity would fall one day... But it didn't happen in the way that they thought it would.

Oh no. It happened in a way no one could have even thought.

Now this place that we survivors that have lived so far in, as death is always a possibility, the place we call home is nothing more than a large waste land of what used to be great beauty... Until THEY came along and humanity plunged into destruction... Into a world of insanity, despair and hardship.

It's possible that humanity will never ever recover from this but that doesn't mean us who have survived so far are going to give up.

We will continue fighting until our dying breaths.

I decided to write this to remember the tale of humanities fall into destruction with hope that if I die before I see humanity's rebirth then I hope that possible future generations will find this fully true tale of our adventures... Our survival... Our battle... However you wish to say it. For we are the ones that have survived this long so we are the survivors!

Perhaps you are a little confused on everything I am talking about.

We should probably start you at the beginning of this story...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter one:

The afternoon classes of Whammy's house are going to start soon.

Mello is bored so he wanders around a little. He pauses to look into the common room.

In there are a group of orphans.

There is the laidback player Ace.

Ace has short emo styled ginger hair, slightly tan skin and muddy water colored eyes. He is wearing a sky blue tank top, dark blue almost black pants and grey sneakers. He's a small amount taller than Mello himself. "So baby. You know you're better looking than I could have imagined." He says to one of the girls he has his arm around. He has been beat by Mello every time a little after the player flirts with Near, who keeps rejecting him anyways, but when asked about it Mello says it's only a coincidence since all he wants is to blow off steam with he found that Ace is a good target.

It is expected from him after all.

The girl on Ace's right is Pearl who has black hair pulled back into a bun, Native American skin since that's who she is, dark brown eyes and is a little taller than Near. She is wearing a mahogany long sleeved V-neck shirt, tightfitting black pants and black ballet flats that have a white bow by the toe area.

The girl on his left is Kaitlin who has the darkly colored skin, black hair put into braids, deep brown eyes and plump lips. She is wearing dark grey pants that are almost black, a magenta t-shirt, black high heels and a netting like flower light jacket that has a black background with the designs being white flowers with pink shadows. She is Matt's height. "Oh Ace you big softie." She giggles.

Leaning against the wall by Ace is two guys and one girl.

The girl is Alexis who has slightly pale skin, slightly narrowed dark blue eyes and blonde hair pulled up into two pigtails that look skinny in a good way. She is wearing an olive green sweater zipped up, a blue plaid skirt that goes to her mid-thigh, knee high ripped styled black socks and dark brown boots that go to a little above her ankles. She is a little smaller than Matt. She is reading a book as usual.

To Alexis's right is a boy named Poppy. He has dark brown hair that is in a pixie style, flawless skin not too pale but not too tan and green eyes. He is wearing a fiery orange t-shirt with almost skinny dark tinted jeans and black with white bottoms runners. He is a small bit taller than Alexis.

To Alexis's left is a boy named Richie. He has a black t-shirt with dark yellow writing that says 'I would cuddle you so hard' and grey sweat pants. He has slightly pale skin, black worn down runners, dirty blonde hair reaching to his shoulders and greenish blue eyes. He is a little taller than the others in the room.

Alexis helps keep the two beside her more under control as they can get annoyingly crazy without someone to put them in their place; as Alexis does hit them with a book in a warning if they start to step out of line. She is quite good at keeping people in line even though she's quite the bookworm.

Which is most likely why the three are often seen together as if Alexis is leading the two around like they are lost puppies.

Mello ignores the group as Ace continues to flirt with the two girls who continue to flirt back as usual for most who he flirts with do. He looks around the rest of the room just as Poppy and Richie say something earning them a warning slap by the book from Alexis as the two probably said something to hint they are about to step out of line. He sees only the group is in the room.

No Near.

He then growls to himself. "Why should I care where he is?!" He then leaves starting to wander again.

Then classes start a little later but Mello is bored since it's review on something he's looked over many times over and over again.

Ace is, go figure, late coming to class as is Kaitlin and Pearl.

Then right in the middle of class the three walk in….. Only there's something different.

Ace doesn't have his arms around Kaitlin and Pearl while the two are following in a line behind him.

"Please take a seat." The big boobed teacher says.

The three silently go to sit down while Ace would have normally commented to hit on the teacher.

Mello raises an eyebrow and kids begin to mummer.

Ace never changes no matter if he gets in trouble or not.

So something is wrong with them if they are acting like that with Ace being the huge give away.

"What the Hell!?" Mello curses to himself as the teacher also takes a moment to be shocked like everyone else.

She then clears her throat and tries to begin class again as she tries to settle them down…. With difficulty for obvious reasons.

Class does begin after a bit of settling down and the teacher continues on with the lesson.

Mello wonders something so he glances to Alexis, Poppy and Richie… Sure enough they seem to be affected as well as Alexis stares off into space and the devious glint to Poppy and Richie's eyes is gone. He starts to turn away when he notices that Near is also noticing something is going on. He slightly growls then turns away. "I will beat you at this Near." He says to himself. "But seriously….. what the Hell is going on around here?"

From there things went downhill…..


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter two:

A few days later.

More and more people in the orphanage began to act differently than usual with no one being able to explain why or how.

Mello is getting a bad feeling about this and he doesn't seem to be alone as Near too has a bad feeling about it all.

Even Rodger has started to be….. Different…

It's almost as if they are different people.

"Something really weird is going on around here." Mello says to Matt as they walk down the halls.

"Mhm." Matt nods as he is distracted with his handheld gaming system.

"I'm serious Matt. Something just isn't right around here." Mello slightly sighs.

"I get it Mels." Matt responds clicking quickly away at the buttons on his game. "Maybe you should see what Near thinks."

Mello growls and punches the back of Matt's head.

Matt slumps forward with a hand to the back of his head. "Ow!"

"Idiot. I'm not going to work with Near! You should know that!" Mello snaps.

Matt slightly looks up as they had stopped walking just before Mello hit him. "Yeah but face it. You, me, Linda and Near seem to be the only ones not affected so far. Shouldn't we band together?" He questions straightening in posture.

"No. It might just be some prank to scare us. Linda wasn't included since she isn't one on keeping secrets and she is nosey. Maybe it's a prank just to get me and Near working together. But it won't work!" Mello says sternly then he continues on walking.

Matt turns around to look behind himself lowering his hand to his side. His eyes widen. "Uh Mello!"

"Not now Matt." Mello sighs as if annoyed.

"Mello!" Matt starts walking backwards.

"Matt I said not now." Mello says more sternly.

"Mello!" Matt whines.

"Matt!" Mello spins around to snap at him only to freeze when he sees what has his friend so worked up.

Approaching them is a group of orphans who look ready to get the two.

Mello takes a step back. "Crap. What is going on!?"

The group don't answer as they glare almost like they are going to go for the kill.

"RUN!" Matt turns and runs past Mello grabbing the blondes arm on the way.

Mello slightly stumbles and the group charges so Mello then turns around slipping out of Matt's grasp so the two continue running.

"We should fight." Mello says. "They don't scar us!"

"I really have a bad feeling about this Mello. I don't think this is a prank and think about how many would be after us now since they aren't who they were anymore. We'd have no chance." Matt points out and adds one final part knowing how to get to Mello. "Besides if you escape and live as yourself then you beat everyone who has been turned. That's something more prideful than fighting and not making it."

Mello pauses for a moment. "Yeah you're right." He says and they keep running.

They take twists and turns through the orphanage until they reach a dimly lit play room.

There they stop and look behind themselves as they pant.

The group doesn't seem to have been able to follow them all the way to here.

"Phew." Matt relaxes but Mello stays tense.

There's suddenly a small noise making Matt tense again.

Mello signals Matt to be quiet then they begin backing up as they look around without turning around as they continue walking backwards.

Someone else is also walking backwards towards the two but neither of the three notice.

They meet in the middle bumping into each other then they jump apart turning to face each other in mid-air ready to fight if needed.

Standing there facing Mello and Matt is no one other than Near.

Matt slightly cowers behind Mello. "You haven't become one of them have you!?"

"If I was then I would have attacked by now." Near lets himself relax a little.

"Point taken." Mello says quietly.

Matt comes out from hiding behind Mello. "Ok. So there are three of us who have survived so far from whatever is going on." He says.

"It's some kind of beast looking things. I saw a few earlier just before I was chased by a group of them and they have been using humans as a way to make their way inside. I can't say if they take over them or replace them or what but they use humans that much is for sure." Near explains.

"It's not safe here." Mello says glancing to the door.

"Even if we hid here we would still be found. It'll be safer to leave the orphanage grounds then find out what's going on." Near says in agreement to what Mello said.

"But how do we get out?" Matt whines.

"Well they must have some way to tell who is under their control so they wouldn't make a mistake and tell anything to someone not a part of them if they've managed to avoid being found out for such a time." Mello says turning to Matt. "We'll have to use stealth mode, get out of here and once we find a safe place we'll find out what's going on. Just don't even think I'm carrying either of you. And don't get in my way."

Matt nods and stays close to Mello.

The three of them begin moving forward towards the door. They quickly move to the sides as they see Ace, or well if that's really even him, is about to walk past then Ace glances to the open doorway peering in. Their hearts slightly skip a beat in the high suspense.

Ace then turns away and continues on his way.

The three wait for a few seconds then they relax a little.

Mello peers out glancing around. "Alright let's go." He takes the lead with the other two following.

They sneak quietly down the hall.

The silence in the air almost seems thick and brings about an eerie feeling as the sun is setting outside making the lightning dim.

They press against a wall and Near peers past Mello around the corner as the blonde also looks.

"There's the front entrance." Near says.

"Once we get out we need to get away from this place." Mello says wondering why he even let Near tag along in the first place.

"When we're out we stick together." Matt says.

Mello is already moving to head for the front entrance.

The other two follow and they are half way there when suddenly….. A floor board creaks.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter three:

The three freeze where they are and begin glancing around to see if they can see if it was just one of them or not.

No one seems to be around them so they relax only a very small bit then continue on their way.

Almost at the door… And there!

Mello opens the door a little and peers out.

Outside there is some people from the orphanage obviously under control or have been replaced along with some sort of scaly beast like things that look like an ugly mix of crab, beast and human.

They have the little legs and body of the crab, that is enlarged to fit their much bigger body; they also have two slightly longer little legs that seem to be three fingered hands as they have legs that look to be in the same way but the legs are longer and they have holes for their mouth with little legs all around the hole as if to act as some kind of lips maybe teeth as well. Their eyes seem to be small but they have four eyes though Mello can't see the color of them and their scales are quite a dark brown in color.

Mello takes a step back. "They're out there." He hisses quietly.

Near moves forward to take a look as scaredy-cat Matt is cowering by the two.

"Maybe we should try the backdoor or something." Mello looks back the way they came.

"No. It's too risky and if we try that we will be more likely to become trapped. At least outside we have more space to run." Near counters as he glances back to the other two.

Mello grumbles about Near.

Near looks back outside. "This is going to be risky but our best hope is to charge straight out." He says.

Matt looks around them. "What if we snuck out a window?" He asks looking to the other two.

There is a monster like roar somewhere behind them.

"No time." Near says. "Let's go." He dashes out going as fast as he can to get past the enemies.

Mello and Matt dash after him and the three of them don't run in a straight line as they need to dodge the attempts of capture from the enemies.

The three run towards the gate.

"We'll have to climb it." Near says and skids to a stop before crashing into it.

Matt begins climbing with Mello also starting so there is one on each gate since the two gate doors are locked together.

Near glances back to their pursuers then turns and begins climbing closer to the middle.

Mello and Matt are getting close to the top when Near gasps in slight surprise. They stop and look back to see that one of the beasts have grabbed one of Near's legs.

Near looks down and uses his other foot to try to kick the beast off as it tries to climb up him as well as trying to drag Near down. He holds on as tight as he can to try to keep the beast from dragging him down.

Mello closes his eyes for a second then he opens them knowing what must be done. He heads back down towards Near. He stops beside Near and slams his foot into the monsters face, like Near had been doing, at the same time as Near which knocks the beast off. "Go." He commands.

Near follows the command and the two begin climbing again.

Matt climbs over the other side then jumps down now outside of the orphanages grounds.

But Mello and Near are still climbing as the people taken over or replaced by the beasts as well as the beasts begin climbing after them like a swarm.

Mello slightly pushes Near up more hurrying him up as the pale boy is at the top.

Near hurriedly climbs over the top then hops down to the ground.

Mello follows soon after.

"Thank you for helping me Mello." Near says.

"Don't think this makes us friends." Mello responds in warning.

Near smiles softly. "Of course."

"Guys. Their coming!" Matt says fearful.

"Right let's go." Mello says and the three of them begin running again in hopes of escaping.

Then suddenly just as they thought they were going to get a good distance ahead that's when in front of them the towns people and more beasts are heading for them making them skid to a stop.

"To the trees. It'll be harder for them to follow." Mello says heading for wooded area.

The other two follow after him and they enter the wooded area.

There is the sounds of the beasts and the people they took over or have replaced trying to come after them the best they can as they continue dashing through the wooded area.

The three of them are panting and feeling tired but not daring to slow down until they are a good enough distance away.

The forest sinks into darkness as the sun is set so their path is only now lit by the moonlight.

They burst out into a small area where the three of them can rest like seen in movies. They then slow to a stop to rest as well as glance back to see if they can see or hear if they are far enough away.

There's some beast roaring making them tense wondering if they should run but then there's sounds of things running away from them as they sound too big to be just squirrels or rabbits.

This makes the three relax as it's obvious it's their enemies making those sounds.

They settle to sit on the ground to catch their breaths and rest.

"Were those the beast you saw?" Mello asks Near.

Near nods but then remembers Mello might not be able to see him. "Yes." He confirms. "They are."

"Alright. We have no idea how many we are facing but they have enough to turn the town and the orphanage into their slaves unless they replaced them. I don't understand their plan but it is obviously not good." Mello says.

"What if they want to collect us humans to feast on us!?" Matt says in panic.

"Whatever the reason is we cannot allow them to take us." Near says.

The other two mummer in agreement then they all go silent for a few moments.

Matt shivers. "It's kind of chilly."

It's true as the night air brings about the cool temperatures.

Mello shifts around and finds some sticks. He puts them in a pile then looks around for some rocks. He picks up two and strikes them together making sure they'll create sparks. He then goes to the pile in the middle of the three of them and strikes the rocks together over and over until a small fire is started. He puts the rocks down as he lowers himself to blow on the small fire to get it going.

Soon it gets going giving them light to see each other as well as giving heat.

Mello straightens after a little of blowing just to get it started. He backs off. "Find any wood or anything we can burn that doesn't create much smoke. We need a pile to keep it going."

The other two nod and the three of them search around until they find what they are looking for adding it into a pile a safe distance from the fire.

Once they have an ok pile they take a break from that to sit around the fire in silence as they all are just thinking.

Mello sighs softly after a few moments of the crackling of the flames being the only sound they can hear.

"What if we're the last ones… The only survivors left….. The only humans left?" Matt wonders out loud.

"Then we continue fighting." Near says. "We try to defeat these beasts. There's really nothing else we really can do."

There's sounds of agreement then silence again.

"We should get some rest." Mello says.

"But what if those things come back!?" Matt says with wide fearful eyes at Mello as the blonde curls up bringing his knees to his chest with his arms around his legs.

"We'll take turns keeping watch." Mello says glancing to Matt.

Matt nods and glances back to the fire as he is facing in a south direction with a log behind him. He then lets his legs stretch out a little while making sure to stay a safe distance from the fire. He glances to Mello then to Near before looking to the fire with a small smile. "It's still kind of cold." He says then reaches over pulling Mello who is on his left over to him so the blonde is laying against the red head while the red head has an arm around him. He turns to Near. "Near." He says.

"I'm ok." Near says bringing his knees towards his chest.

Matt can't stop his small smile staying on his lips. "Come here." He leans over and grabs Near pulling him in like Mello so now the three of them are cuddled together with Matt being the one mostly sitting up out of the three of them. He looks from one to the other. "No matter what, we are a group now. We need each other now more than ever." He says as the two look up to him.

Then Mello and Near glance to each other.

Matt looks up gazing past the fire and the other two glance back up to him. "I'll take first watch. I won't be able to really sleep anyways. I'm too scared. You two will be better at outdoor surviving than me so we need you two to be rested up so you can be all good to help us survive."

Mello and Near spare another glance to each other.

Near gives a small smile then closes his eyes slightly curling up against Matt. "As long we have each other we will be fine." He says.

Mello watches Near for a few moments then he forces his eyes away.

There's just so much to try to wrap their heads around at the moment.

He just silently closes his eyes finding himself more tired than he thought he'd be as he slips into the dream world.

Matt looks down to the two sleeping figures curled up against him. He smiles a little wider at this. "Goodnight Mello. Goodnight Near." He says a little softly in a happy voice as he looks to each when he speaks. He watches them for a few moments longer then he looks up staring off into the darkness watching and listening for danger. He reaches over and adds some more fuel from their pile when needed as he is careful to not wake the other two.

The eerie silence besides the crackling of the fire surrounds letting Matt who is the only one awake between the three of them listen to it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter four:

Sunlight hits Mello's eyes and he scrunches his eyes before giving up opening them half way.

He blinks a few times to get rid of the blurriness then he finds him staring at Matt's chest and stomach, with Matt being asleep now, as well as the empty spot on the other side of Matt where Near was sleeping on Matt's chest and stomach as well. He opens them fully and sits up rubbing his eyes only to look again.

Sure enough the mostly albino boy isn't there.

Mello gets up about to go looking but when he turns he sees Near sitting on a log on the other side of the fire with his back to them seeming to stare out into the trees. He goes over to the other and stands a little behind him.

"Good morning Mello." Near greets the other.

Mello clenches his teeth that Near got it right without having to turn around. He moves over to the log and sits next to Near with a space between them. He hunches over putting his elbows on his legs just above his knees joining his hands together. "Yeah morning." He greets not looking to Near.

There are a few seconds of silence between them.

"How long have you been awake for?" Mello asks with his eyes flickering to the other.

"Not long." Near responds with a glance to Mello making their eyes lock.

"Ah." Mello says as they look back to the woods.

The awkward silence goes on…. Until Matt makes a snore sound in his sleep, making the two slightly turn around putting one hand on the log to look to the red head, as if to try to break the silence.

This makes the two share a small chuckle.

"I'm glad we made it out." Near says after their small chuckle.

Mello turns to him. "Really?"

Near turns to Mello as well. "Yeah." He nods softly. "We need each other. Together we have a fighting chance. The three of us have the best chance out of anyone."

Mello is silent for a moment then his eyes flicker back to Matt for a second before turning to face forward again. "Yeah well you can't forget death is a daily possibility now." He says.

"I know." Near says also turning to face forward again. "If it came to death I would hope for you and Matt to go first."

Mello turns to death glare Near. "Why!? So you can go off living while we die!?"

Near shakes his head then turns to look into Mello's eyes. "No I didn't mean it like that. I meant that since this adventure will bring us closer together I was thinking that you two could die before me so you wouldn't have to feel the pain of watching someone you care for die."

Mello blinks surprised at this as their eye lock stays for now. He finds his voice. "If we die then we die. That's life. We can't say for sure who will go first or last or how long apart it will be between our deaths." He says mostly to himself as he glances away.

"Yeah true." Near agrees also turning away.

Neither of them notice the fire go out.

Matt opens his eyes slightly as he had been awake since just before Near's comment about death. He watches the two with a small smile on his lips then he closes his eyes again to see if he can get anymore sleep.

Suddenly there's a monster roar making the three of them jump to their feet alert for in case one or more beasts show up.

After a few moments Near speaks.

"We should probably get moving." He says.

"It's dangerous to stay in one spot for too long." Mello says then he looks to see Matt up. "Ok we are all up. Now let's go." He takes the lead and the others follow as they head away from their little camp site behind.

They have been walking for a little bit now so far moving away from the roars or anything that could bring them to their death as they only have their bare hands and their socked feet, that they know they'll need to find shoes to cover, as well as bodies to defend themselves with no guarantee that it's even effective.

Matt's stomach growls. He groans in response. "Aw man I'm hungry. Can't we find something to eat?"

Suddenly Mello stops making the others stop.

"Get down." Near says.

The three of them quickly move into hiding behind a bush big enough to cover them. They carefully peer over it watching as four beasts walk by.

The beasts don't seem to notice the three as they walk right past them.

They stay hidden looking out for any more of the beast or any other enemies.

None come and the three come out of their hiding place.

"How do we even begin to fight them? Or are we just going to run for the rest of our lives?" Matt asks.

"We'll fight them one day. We need to just figure out their weakness and make or find some weapons." Mello says.

Matt's stomach growls again. He wraps his arms around his stomach with a groan. "Can we get some food?" He whines.

Mello sighs softly. "We'll see if we can find anything edible out here or we'll see if we can sneak into town. We also need some foot wear."

"There is a place we can hide in for a little bit in town." Near says suddenly. "If we can sneak into town we might be able to get there. Of course we can't stay there as the beasts will eventually find us."

This perks the other twos interests.

"Fine we'll go to see if we can sneak into town. We'll stock up and check the place Near is talking about." Mello slightly grumbles.

They begin heading towards town, at least in the direction they believe is the way there as Near mostly leads the way.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter five:

The suspense weighs heavily in the air around them as they trek through the woods towards what they are now sure is towards town.

A bush rustles as they hide behind it then peer over it finding them looking out at the town.

The air almost seems dusty and so far the streets look deserted with some cars sitting there with one or more doors open, some cars flipped over, some cars look like they almost crashed together and some just sitting parked along the sides of the road or in parking spaces or drive ways.

There is even a few garages at least half way open or so.

With a last careful look around they don't see anyone or anything so they sneakily move into the town.

The three keep their eyes open and ears open too for any signs of anything or anyone that might be on the beasts side. They make it into town fine and the place looks abandoned in an eerie way that would usually shake cold into a persons body just from looking let alone being in it but the three have seen a lot so the main one affected is Matt while the other two aren't affected other than the worry of being attacked or finding a group of enemies.

"What should we do first?" Near's hushed voice asks.

"What's in this place you're going to take us to." Mello asks also in a hushed voice.

"Well there might other than regular stuff there might be some knives, some clothes and if there is any food left there then it's gone bad." Near says.

"Ok. We get some footwear then we go to check out the place." Mello says. He takes the lead as they continue to sneak through town.

The quiet almost sends chills up their spines as it almost feels too quiet to them.

They find a shoe store and head in making sure to be alert for anyone.

It's stealing but they ignore it since it's only them then it's not actually stealing anymore.

They each get a pair of shoes they like then making sure to take off tags and anything that might trigger alarms. They then leave with Mello looking out to make sure there's no enemies before they leave.

Near takes the lead as they go through town.

"It's so quiet." Mello points out the obvious in a whispered voice that almost seems loud in the quietness.

"What if they are watching us waiting to strike and pounce at the right moment!?" Matt almost whispers in fear.

"I'm sure if they've spotted us they would be attacking by now." Near says in a hushed tone.

They continue in silence until Near leads them into an alley way.

Near goes over to an area that looks to be normal.

"So the place is in an alley?" Mello raises an eyebrow.

"Yes." Near turns and crouches down by the wall of the back of a store. He opens a secret hatch leading down underground.

"Oh." Mello blinks as he realizes that it was nicely hidden.

"Go ahead." Near says.

Matt is all too happy to go down into the hole climbing down the ladder with Mello following then Near who closes the door behind them.

The place is an underground home.

Not big but not tiny and it is pretty open to be expected.

There is a bedroom with a small T.V., a kitchen like area that has little to almost none appliances, the room they seem to be in is a living room like area though not much is down here and there is some furniture just not a lot of stuff.

The light is a lamp, in a good position to just fill the whole home like place with light, that Near turned on without difficultly finding it or turning it on since he's been here before.

"This is actually where I lived before Whammys. It's a bit dusty from not being used for quite a while." Near explains.

Matt wanders towards the bedroom area and finds two slightly ratty mattresses along with a single blanket on each though not put neatly on as well as an extra one nearby. "Are you sure it's not used?" He asks. "Cause there's more than one bed." He turns to the mostly albino boy.

"Yeah. Me, A and BB lived here. We had nowhere else to go since we were orphans even before we went to Whammys and we lived on the streets as this counts as living on the streets since it's not an official house." Near explains. "That's why there are more than one bed. A and BB shared one since they were lovers and like parents to me while the other was mine."

A and BB were the only two that scored above Near with A in first and BB second. They and Near were quiet close that it was obvious that nothing would tear them apart then…. A died only for BB to leave murder to challenge L probably blaming L for A's death, only Near and BB seemed to know how A actually died but he didn't kill himself that much is obvious since he loved the other two way too much to kill himself leaving them. Which led to BB's capture before he can kill himself then not long after he dies in prison. The two's deaths were only a few years ago so pretty recent.

"Ah." Matt nods in understanding.

Mello decides to wander around a little to check the place out. He finds three knives on a table probably meant to be a small counter.

The knives are the knives seen typically used by murders on T.V. and each is engraved.

One has an A engraved on it's handle.

Another has a B engraved on it's handle.

The last one has an N engraved on it's handle.

Mello knows how much these knives must mean to Near and he growls to himself as he finds himself unable to say they should use them. He calms himself down saying in his head that he's only thinking that way because A and BB were even scary to him when they wanted to be so he doesn't want to anger their spirits by using the knives. He then notices some extra knives that are meant for cooking but are still sharp and grabs those instead. He heads back with the knives leaving the ones with the engraved handles alone. "We could use these knives as weapons for now." He says putting the knives on a table in the main area that's the living room like area.

Near and Matt look to them and nod in agreement.

Near heads towards the kitchen area. "Oh and I don't know how many electrical things still work or not especially with it seeming like everyone is gone." He says over his shoulder. "But this place was made so unless we blast the sound or leave the door open no one outside should be able to hear us. But we'll hear them if they get too close." He says then turns to where he's going.

"We won't be able to stay here forever. We'll run the risk of those beasts finding us." Mello says. "But we can stay longer than just one night like we would have outside."

Near goes over to the knives that Mello skipped over. He gently runs the tips of his fingers along the handle of each.

Suddenly there is some footsteps heard by the door making the three tense slightly holding their breaths as they wait to see if whoever or whatever it is goes away.

The footsteps move away and the three relax.

"We'll need to get some food though." Near says. "Since as I said the food here if there's still any left will have gone bad."

"Right. Then one of us should stay here to clean out the bad food while the others leave to find fresh food." Mello says.

"Ok. You two go out and I'll clean out the bad food." Matt says straighten from his hunched over position looking at something that looks like a picture in a picture fram on a single small nightstand, almost seeming to spring to his feet had he not been standing already.

"Matt!" Mello says in a warning tone. "Stop being an idiot. There's no way me and Near could work together."

Matt smiles softly. "Mels I'm the scaredy cat of the group. I would only get in the way. Besides. We only have each other now so like it or not we all need to work together to survive. Just think of this as getting used to having to work with Near to stay alive. We stay alive and it's like bragging rights compared to all those that have fallen to the beasts."

Mello sighs and brings a hand to his forehead as he swears he just wants to punch Matt for those words. He knows Matt is right that they need each other especially if they wanted to stay alive as well as that Matt would get in the way.

"You can do it Mello." Matt says as encouragement patting the blonde on the back with a goofy grin on his face.

Mello sighs once more. "Fine but I'm not carrying him." He huffs crossing his arms over his chest.

"You won't need to." Near says. "I've lived on the streets long enough that I know these streets quite well like the back of my hand." He says to make it a point that he'll be alright.

"Yeah yeah. Let's just go." Mello says grabbing one of the knives.

Near comes over also grabbing one of the knives.

"Good luck you two." Matt says as the two head out.

"Don't slack off while we are gone." Mello says in warning still a little unhappy that he has to work with Near.

"Yes sir." Matt salutes to Mello then the blonde leaves following the mostly albino boy.

Mello and Near head through the streets sneaking around watching out for any enemies. They hear something up ahead and duck down behind a car peering through the windows.

Two beasts are walking with three people close by.

One of the people glance in their direction.

Mello clenches his teeth.

The person begins heading in their direction and the two quickly duck behind the car hoping the person hasn't spotted them.

Of course luck isn't on their side.

The person then jumps on top of the car making it dent. The person makes an inhuman growl as Mello and Near spring to their feet turning to the person getting ready to fight. The person is a female with shoulder length chocolate brown hair, a green dress that is like a summer dress only going to a little past her hips, she also has white leggings on as well as black ballet flats.

Mello and Near raises the knife they each took before leaving.

The person gives some kind of inhuman sound almost like gurgle then leaps pulling a fist back ready to strike.

Mello and Near jump out of the way both jumping to opposite sides.

The person goes after Near opening it's mouth letting out a terrible screech.

Near slashes the knife at the person skillfully and slices open the person's neck.

The person falls to the ground making more human gurgling noises.

Near starts to move towards Mello then…..

The person starts twitching in an up and down like motion slightly lifting of the ground with each twitch then the legs of the beasts burst out of the body of the person.

"Crap!" Mello curses.

The two begin running not even sure that the knives are even affective against the beasts and if they take the chance then they will have a high chance of being turned or killed. They keep running ignore the human like scream from the person that attacked then the sound of a wet explosion but they don't dare to stop.

There is sounds of them being chased and Mello glances back seeing three beasts chasing after them.

Mello turns forward again.

"This way." Near suddenly says turning into an alley way.

Mello follows clenching his teeth.

Near takes the second turn to the right as Mello keeps following. He then takes the third left turn left leading Mello through a maze of alleyways.

They keep running till they get to a more open area with all four directions available to go.

Near doesn't stop and goes right as Mello continues to follow.

Mello glances behind himself and only sees two people now chasing them. He faces forward again only to widen his eyes as he can no longer see Near. "Crap. Did that brat dump me here!?" He growls picking up speed then suddenly he is grabbed and pulled down a right turn. He whips his head raising the knife to attack only to see it's Near.

"Try to pay attention Mello. Don't want to let yourself die." Near says letting go of them then runs forward down the alleyway away from where he just pulled Mello in from.

Mello follows no longer angry at Near as the pale boy didn't bail on him but waited to help him even if it meant he would be in more danger staying in one spot. He begins to wonder how human Near really is.

Near takes a left with Mello following and they take a few more rights and lefts then Near slows to a walk with Mello doing the same.

They both are panting slightly from that run but they find they aren't that tired.

After all Mello did like to play soccer at the orphanage sometimes the game would get a little more intense and Near grew up on the streets so he had a lot of experience running through the streets.

They keep walking as they catch their breaths.

"Thanks." Mello says a little quietly.

"No problem. After all I'm sure we would be in trouble if we lost you." Near responds not looking back at Mello.

Mello blinks a little surprised Near would say those words. "So which way to a good place for food?" He changes the topic not sure how to respond to Near's words.

"Not far." Near says. "There's a big market just a little ways ahead." He explains.

Mello nods still following Near.

They find the market and after making sure the coast is clear they go in.

"The plastic bags are not a good idea to use." Mello says.

Near turns to Mello. "Well some places do have the fabric bags." He starts only to stop when he sees Mello taking off his shirt revealing his flawless slim yet strong, as strong as someone can get from some exercise at least daily, figure. "M-Mello?"

Mello smirks at hearing Near stutter and turns to him. "Come on. There isn't a lot of space down there. Too many fabric bags and the bags will run us out." He says. "Come on you too."

Near blushes a little making Mello smirk a touch wider but Near pulls his shirt off as well as Mello watches. He's wearing a white more worn out tank top underneath his button up shirt, his body holds scars though there aren't many it surprises Mello a little as he expected no scars.

The others are mostly small and quiet few in numbers but the one that catches Mello's eye is the one that is like a slash scar going from a small bit under his mid rib area on the left side down to almost his right hip.

Mello only got a flash of how far up Near's body it goes as his tank top slightly lifted up as the mostly albino boy took off his button up shirt.

Near doesn't meet Mello's eye feeling self-conscious standing there with one of his shirts off in front of Mello and the blonde's gaze doesn't help his condition.

Mello comes over and the sound of Mello approaching makes Near turn to look to him. The blonde looks to Near's eyes.

Near feels he should explain. "The streets are unforgiving." Is all he says with his eyes flickering away from Mello's gaze.

Mello nods as his eyes sweep over the scars that he can see.

"Um…. We should get some food." Near says trying to direct the attention away from his body, well mainly his scars.

Mello seems to snap back to reality. "Right." He turns away and walks away going to collect some food using his shirt as something to carry them in.

Near joins him as the two make sure they get as much of mixture of items as they can.

They then wrap their shirts to keep the food in as best they can.

"Ok lets go." Mello says taking the lead as they head towards the door.

They glance out and move down hiding behind the wall under the stores windows on either side of the door as they spot one beast out there. They quiet their breathing as they wait.

After a minuet Near dares to get up enough to peer out.

"Is it clear?" Mello asks glancing up.

Near is silent for a moment and Mello is about to ask again then the other speaks. "Looks like it." He confirms.

"Ok. Let's go." Mello says leading them out of the store.

They get a few steps away then they hear an inhuman almost gurgling noise making them pause. They glance back and see the beast had jumped up onto a higher part of the building digging it's legs into the wall. They begin running as they turn around a little each step then after a few steps they are turned around.

The beast is heard jumping from the building with some sounds of small bits of the wall falling down then an loud landing.

Mello and Near keep running.

Mello heads towards an alley way.

"No. That leads to a dead end. This way." Near says turning and Mello skids to a stop to figure out which way Near's going since the blonde had been in front of him then he hurries following the pale boy.

The beast can be seen in the corner of their eyes as it slightly leans back spreading it's legs not holding it up as it lets out an inhuman screech only to go back to the almost hunched over way the beasts normally stand. It charges after them.

Near continues leading Mello along the street with the sounds of the beast chasing them.

"Near!" Mello hisses at the pale boy as the sounds of the beast is getting closer and closer.

"Not yet." Near responds and Mello growls wondering what the hell the mostly albino boy planned to do.

The beast's sounds of it chasing them are getting closer and closer…..

Mello is about to snap at Near then try to dash ahead or push the pale boy into an alley way when Near speaks before the blonde.

"Now." The pale boy quickly turns into an alley way.

Mello also turns into it only to find….. Near's not there… He wonders if he turned down the wrong way when suddenly he is pulled into a small space between two dumpsters that seem to be for a restaurant or a school. He manages to keep his shirt together and with him.

Near puts a hand over Mello's mouth as if to keep him from gasping. He pulls his hand away as if in slight apology.

The space keeps them close together as they both are able to fit but they are a little cramped, Mello more than Near as Near seems to fit a little better.

There is the sounds of the beast skidding only to crash into something and Mello swore if this was a movie then there would be the cat sound that comes with the crashing sounds.

The beast grumbles in it's inhuman way then begins walking along the alley way looking side to side.

Mello and Near stay quiet watching the beast from the corner of their eyes so as to not draw attention to themselves if the beast can sense them staring at it.

The beast keeps walking not seeing them.

The two wait there quietly waiting to let the beast get farther away.

Mello looks down to his shirt now being held on his lap as his legs are up so his knees are facing upwards so he could fit in the space. He thinks about how Near knows so much more about the streets then he does and it then dawns on him.

Had Matt come along instead of Near then the two friends would probably have found themselves trapped at a dead end.

It almost hurts Mello to know he and Matt know so little about the streets.

"We should be good." Near says snapping Mello from his thoughts.

Mello realizes he's blocking Near's way out but Near stands up peering over the dumpsters that are almost as tall as him.

Near then climbs up onto one of the dumpsters and Mello takes the easier way out. The pale boy hops down silently next to Mello.

Mello wonders just how long Near had been on the streets especially to pull off the trick of climbing onto a dumpster then jumping up only to land on the ground all almost silently since the dumpsters make noise no matter how good you are.

"Let's go before it comes back." Near says.

"Right." Mello nods.

The two leave and they make it back without any more trouble.

Near waits above as Mello climbs down inside since they can't carry their shirts full of food when they climb down a ladder.

Once Mello is at the bottom Near passes each of the shirts full of food down one at a time making sure Mello is ready to catch the next one before tossing it down.

After both are down then Near hops in shutting the door behind himself as he jumps down into their current home.

Matt is sitting on one of the mattresses the one closer to the rest of the space with the one closer to the underground wall is empty since Matt was the only here while the other two were out. He was about to turn on the T.V., if it works especially with who knows if everyone has been turned or if it works regardless, when he hears the two come in turning to them. "Welcome back." He greets getting up. "There wasn't much old food so it's all clean and ready. I threw the old and bad food into some dumpsters close by where the door to this place is." He lets them know coming over to them. "Uh you do know that some places have fabric bags right?" He says seeing that the two are shirtless, with Near only wearing his tank top, and the shirts are carrying the food. He can't help but look at the scars on Near's body that he can see while Near has the tank top on.

"The bags would have made it harder to escape and hide from the beasts that chased us." Near says quickly grabbing his shirt and slightly rushes to put the food away.

Matt turns to Mello with a small smirk. He leans closer as his smirk grows a little. "So you managed to get him take off his shirt for you?" He teases a little quietly.

Mello punches the top of Matt's head making Matt fall forward, well more downwards, onto the ground. "Near told you why and if we have too many bags it'll not only leave us with no space but also slow us down when running." He says picking up his shirt going to do the same as Near but not as rushed. He can't help but feel his cheeks have grown a little warm from what Matt said.

As the food is almost put away there is a sudden scream, a human scream.

"AHH! SOMEONE HELP ME!" A woman's voice screams.

The two quickly put down their shirts and rush towards the ladder that Matt is already climbing.

Mello waits beside the ladder and Near stops a little back.

Matt opens the door and looks out. He doesn't make a move to climb out.

"Matt!" Mello tries to get Matt to move. "Hey Matt! Stop dawdling!"

Matt is silent and still.

Mello growls about to start climbing when Matt climbs down enough to close the door. "Matt what the hell are you-" He is cut off as he sees Matt's face.

Matt's face is pale and his eyes wide in horror.

Mello wonders what Matt saw. "Matt. Speak to us. What the hell did you see?"

Matt seems to have just noticed the two are there as his horrified eyes look to them. "She's not one to save now…." He trails off as he shivers in horror. "I….. I've never seen something like that before…..And I don't think I ever want to again….." He almost seems to now not see the other two. "I think I need to lie down." He climbs down then stumbles towards the beds.

Mello and Near watch wondering what happened that got him so spooked.

"Matt!" Mello chases after him and Matt turns to Mello pausing in his stumbling footsteps as his side now faces Mello as he looks to the blonde.

"I just saw how the beasts take over the human bodies." The red head says then goes to the bed he was sitting on earlier only to flop down onto it.

Mello raises a hand to his head wondering if it really was that scary or if it just seems more scary than it is since Matt is the more scaredy cat out of the three of them.

AN:

This feels a little long… Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed it. I'm trying to not make it boring as we are only at the general start area pretty much.

I'll try my best to keep things interesting and yes things can get a little scary as I put on the summary as I have changed it a little so you have been warned if you continue with this story. If it get's too scary, which I'll try to not make it really scary just scray enough to not be boring, then I will contemplate changing the adventure to horror but that is a last resort since I think it's more of an adventure story and I'm not trying to make too scary.

Enough of me talking forever and ever.

Reviews are awesome and flamers will be used to make candy cane like cookies this time with no mint as I'm no fan of mint.

Hope you enjoyed and will continue to read!

Mello.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter six:

It's night now and since their current home is pretty well hidden there is no mandatory look out for the night but they know they can't just stay forever since it'll start to become dangerous and more likely to be found however for now it's a good place. The night is pretty quiet if this was a move the crickets probably would be chirping to add to the effect of being night even though it's actually almost silent.

Mello and Matt are sharing the bed that the red head flopped onto while Near is alone on the other bed that is farthest of the two from the main area, the one closer to the underground wall that was empty when Mello and Near returned with food, as it also happens to be the same one Near had when he, BB and A lived there.

Even though the beds are just mattresses they are still decently comfy.

Mello is asleep while Matt is laying there on his and Mello's bed, he's in the position so he's in a way between the other two, as he stares up at the roof. The two found that both of the blankets on each mattress are decent sized that it's long enough to drape over the end of the mattress while keeping the two covered but is just a little short on draping over the sides.

Matt rolls over onto his side so he looks to Near's direction. He blinks as he sees the other is awake playing with something…. Well actually more like slightly moving the object back and forth in a side to side like motion more than playing with it as he holds it above himself seeming to just stare at it as he does this. The red head can't see the other that well in the dark as there is a small light that's in the kitchen that's on but it only gives off moonlight like light so it's not bright making it still pretty dark.

They only have that on because the outside light doesn't reach inside the place they currently call home unless they left the door open which could very easily mean their deaths.

"Can't sleep?" He asks.

Near stops playing with the item lowering it to rest almost on his chest. He turns his head since he's on his back, to Matt looking as best he can at the red head in the dark. "Just thinking." He responds. "What about you? Can't sleep?"

Matt nods but then remembers how dark it is. "Yeah. I'm still a little spooked from what I saw."

"Understandable." Near gives a small nod putting the item down to the ground beside himself well technically beside his bed on the side facing Matt.

Matt sighs softly. "If we were in a different situation I would say let's go for a walk." He comments.

"If we were under different circumstances I would have said that would be nice." Near tells him.

"Say do you think we will get out of this alive?" Matt asks quietly. "Please be honest."

Near pauses a moment then looks to the ceiling. "Honestly I can't say with absolute certainty but." He looks back to Matt. "If we stay smart I highly believe we will have a fighting chance. After all we are the top three from Whammy's house and we each have different skills that combined gives us a real fighting chance against those monsters." He responds.

Matt smiles. "Yeah that makes sense." He then thinks of something only to look confused. "But what do I have that can help?"

"You are an expert in technology. That is handy especially since this world has a lot of it. Also that you are someone who knows when to run away, your scardy cat instincts can keep us from trying to fight a battle we won't win as we need to stay as a group along with we have no idea how to defeat the monsters." Near explains.

Matt smiles softly. "Well I guess my scardy cat self is actually handy."

Near smiles softly too. "Yes it does."

Matt nods. "And since you are street smart as you know these streets like the back of your hand so you know little tricks to survive as well as to get away."

Near nods. "And Mello is one who has a strong fighting spirit. He has fought many fights back at the orphanage. He's stubborn and won't give up even if he's on his dying breath. Add each of our smart minds together we have a smart and strong group."

Matt smiles a little more. "Yes. Yes we do."

They lay there a for a minute or two in silence.

"Say you have shown some things that all of us from Whammy's thought you had lost sometime ago or never had. Like smiling maybe about one or so times so far even if it's soft and small. I'm not saying it's a bad thing but I was just wondering why now?" Matt asks.

Near shrugs. "I show emotions when I believe it is the right time even if it's small. I guess along the time that I lived me showing my emotions and such faded."

"That would make sense." Matt says.

Near nods. "Well we should probably get some rest." He says.

"Hopefully we can." Matt responds with a small yawn.

Near lets out a small quite short breathy laugh that is barely there like it's under his breath. "I don't think that'll be a problem for you."

"Maybe." Matt slightly mumbles then he's asleep.

Near turns back to the ceiling just having too much on his mind but he closes his eyes pushing away his thoughts until he's asleep.

The next day Mello is the first to awaken.

He opens his eyes then sits up and notices the other two are sleeping.

What he can see of them they look quite peaceful in their sleep.

He then notices something beside Near's bed. He moves closer to inspect it and finds it's the knife with the engraved N on it's handle. He turns away leaving it alone and walks away towards the kitchen to get himself something to eat for breakfast.

A little later, after Mello is done eating, Matt awakens but groans not wanting to wake up at that time.

Mello laughs at this. "Come on Matt get up." He says.

Matt groans then opens his eyes half way. He then rolls over to face Mello. "Aww come on Mels." He whines.

Mello rolls his eyes. "Yeah well we should try to start early since our lives at stake. We still need to steal some clean clothes today and we still need to survive as well as find a way to beat those beasts. We can't just stay here."

"Why do you have to be right at a time like this?" Matt whines again then sits up.

Mello looks to Near. "I thought he'd once again be the first up." He says.

Matt looks to Near. "Well both me and him were up later than you. I fell asleep before him so I don't know how long he was asleep for."

"We should wake him." Mello says about to head to do so.

"Aw. Mels let him sleep. Doesn't he look so cute?" Matt gives Mello a goofy smile.

Mello slightly growls. "No Matt and if you're so interested in him then why didn't you sleep next to him?"

Matt laughs softly. "Oh but it's you interested in him."

Mello narrows his eyes and raises a fist.

Matt yelps and dives under the blankets. "Ok! Ok! I'm sorry."

Mello sighs. "You're an idiot." He then lowers his fist going over to Near grumbling under his breath. He crouches down beside Near's bed careful of the knife. "Hey time to get up." He reaches over and shakes Near's shoulder.

Matt pokes his head out until the blanket rests on top of his head as he has the opening where he can watch Mello with a knowing smile.

Near groans very softly then his eyes open to almost half way.

"Get your ass in gear slow poke." Mello stands then heads away to the main area of their current home making sure to switch the lights so the light on is now the one that Near turned on when they arrived there.

Near sits up and rubs one eye still a little sleepy.

Matt gives a slight apologetic look to Near. "Sorry. Tried to convince him to let you sleep in." He says.

Near shrugs it off. "It's ok. He's right. I should probably get up anyways." He throws the covers off of himself and gets up grabbing the knife along the way.

Matt also gets up and the two head to get breakfast as Near puts the knife with the other two engraved ones.

Matt finds some bread and puts some peanut butter on it only to start eating.

Near gets just some crackers for his own breakfast.

Once the two are done they put any waste, manly the box from Nears crackers, in the waste basket that is in a corner that Mello and Matt didn't see when they first walked in though Near said that sometimes with certain things they, him A and BB, would bury them if they had to in a corner where it's not worth really going to except for depression corner anyways.

The trio head to the ladder and begin climbing up as Near turns off the light then comes over to stand at the base of the ladder since Matt and Mello take up most the ladder at the moment.

Mello is at the top with the door slightly open as he peers around while Matt is pretty much at the base of the ladder with a gap between them but it's not a big gap.

Mello makes sure it's clear. "Ok we're clear." He says and opens the door fully and climbs out.

Matt then Near follow out and Near closes the door behind them.

Mello takes the lead and the three line up pressing themselves against a wall as Mello peers out looking for any signs of enemies. "Let's go." He says leading the way as they head out more into the open being on high alert as they go to get some clean clothes.

They find a clothing shop and they go in.

It looks empty.

"Alright. Be on guard and don't take long." Mello says then the three spilt up.

The three of them begin searching and finding a clean change of clothes that they like only to change.

Matt finds a red and black stripped long sleeved shirt, jeans that are just a little baggy on him to change into and he keeps his shoes. He adds a light brown slightly fuzzy vest on top as he has his orange tinted lensed goggles around his neck.

Near decides to change into generally the same he usually wears with slightly tinted blue comfy though good mobility pants but finds a white quarter sleeved t-shirt instead of his preferred long sleeved shirt. He like Matt keeps his shoes.

Then finally Mello has slightly tightfitting but stretchy black pants with a black tank top while also keeping his shoes.

Just as the three are almost back to meet up once done then they hear someone enter.

Quickly the three move into hiding.

Mello hides behind a full rack.

Near ducks down into the middle of a ring of hanging clothes curling up as he sits there.

Matt runs into a rack of coats and doesn't dare to even peek out.

Footsteps seem to echo around the three as they await for the person or beast to think that there is no one here then leave hopefully without attacking or even finding the three.

They don't know if the person is friend or foe but they can't take the risk.

The footsteps become cautious and a little slow moving as the person walks.

Mello looks for a way to look without being seen and Near shifts trying to make as little movement as possible as he slightly lowers himself down but he only sees a pair of shoed feet walking past where he is hiding.

The feet are walking at a normal pace then slow and turn around taking a few steps back only to pause.

Near raises his head trying to make as little movement as possible once more so that whoever it is can't track him down from the direction they feel his gaze coming from.

Whoever is there doesn't move and the three wonder if the person has spotted one of them.

The three begin to get ready to pull out the one knife each they brought in hopeful some level of protection but it is still unknown if the knives even affect the beasts.

The silence drags on for a minute or two longer….

AN:

Yay update!

Yes I just did a cliff-hanger. Lol but don't worry I'll write up the next chapter as soon as I can.

The little box below is for reviews and flamers will be used to make Eggdabergs, its my family's fancy term for an egg sandwich we can make.

Mello.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter seven:

"It looks like I'm alone." Linda's voice speaks with a small sigh.

The three's eyes slightly widen then they become defensive in case this is just a trick.

Linda sighs again and her footsteps take a few more steps away when suddenly she stops.

Things go silent once more.

"I-is anyone there?" Linda's scared voice calls out shakily. "Wh-who's watching me!?" She takes a few more steps back scared.

Silence falls once more.

Then Matt who had shifted to see if it really is Linda falls backwards out of his hiding spot giving a small surprised sound as he drops to the ground out in the open.

Linda gives a yell of surprise and terror as she jumps ten feet in the air before calming down as Matt groans. "Matt!?" Her voice sounds surprised but she also sounds happy to see him.

Matt gives an 'oops' smile. "Hey Linda." He greets and shifts to sit up grabbing the knife he had dropped when he accidently fell.

"It really is you!" Linda annoyingly squeals happily then jump hugs Matt almost knocking him over.

Mello sighs and comes out of hiding with Near following. The two go over to Linda and Matt.

"You idiot." Mello snorts at Matt. "What if it had been a trap or an enemy?"

Near doesn't say anything but watches.

Linda's eyes light up happily but also in surprise. "Mello! Near! You're alive too!" She squeals annoyingly again making Matt and Mello flinch harshly at the sound and Near raises a hand towards his head also flinching a little. "So how did you escape?" She asks not letting go of Matt until he slightly pushes her off only to stand with her doing the same.

"We ran while being chased then climbed the gate and kept running." Matt explains. "What about you?"

Near starts twirling his hair.

Linda looks a little confused when asked. "Well I'm not really sure but I got out because when they came for me they suddenly seemed to have changed their minds or something and I ran off into the woods behind Whammy's."

Mello can't help but laugh out loud at this. "Oh man that shit is hilarious! You're so annoying not even the beasts wanted you!" He hunches over as he keeps laughing.

"You meanie!" Linda pouts angrily. "At least Matt and Near are much kinder than you are." She turns pouting.

"Sorry Linda but Mello's right. You must have annoyed them to the point they didn't want you anymore." Matt says.

Linda glares at Matt then looks pleadingly to Near. "You don't believe that too do you?"

"It's the only explanation." Near responds and Linda pouts again.

"I'm not annoying!" Linda almost shouts.

"Believe whatever fairy tale you want." Mello says as he recovers from his fits of laughter. "But no one said you had to stay with us."

Linda's eyes widen as her pout falls. "B-But I don't want to be alone!" Her eyes sparkle with possible tears.

"Damn it Mels." Matt says. "You didn't have to go that far."

"I was only stating the truth! It wasn't my fault!" Mello slightly snaps turning away slightly.

"Either way we can't stay here much longer." Near speaks. "We should get out of here. The longer we stay the more likely we will be found and attacked."

"Yeah. Let's go." Mello says taking the lead towards the front doors with Near following behind him then Matt with Linda staying close to him.

They stop at the front doors and Mello peers outside glancing around outside.

Suddenly Mello swiftly moves back, making the others back, only to pressing himself against a wall beside the doors.

The rest stay in the same order as they too press against the wall.

There is the sounds of what sounds like monster gurgling as well as it's footsteps as it walks pretty much right in front of the doors but on the outside.

The three males stay silent and as still as possible with Linda shaking.

There is a pause in the beasts footsteps.

The three males make sure they have the knife they brought as Matt starts to shake a little.

The monster gurgling sounds stays in one place for a little longer as the three males are ready to defend themselves if needed.

The suspense weighing heavily in the air.

After a few suspenseful minutes there is the sounds of the monster walking closer to the doors making all four people hiding tense.

The beast pauses again then the doors are smashed open and the three males raise their knife each ready to fight. The beast walks in but doesn't seem to notice them at first as it walks a little deeper into the store. The beast then pauses almost as if realizing something.

The four slip outside taking this chance to get away as Matt has to slightly drag a terrified Linda who stumbles after him trying to not make a sound. The three males made sure to get rid of anything that'll trigger the alarm system before Linda entered as they are smart enough to know to do that.

The beast turns to look behind it's self….. but it doesn't see anything or anyone so it turns away and continues its search of the store for any life.

The four jog through the town getting away from the store.

"Do you guys even have a place to stay?" Linda asks.

"Yeah we do have a temporary place." Matt answers. "It's actually the place Near lived before Whammy's when he lived with A and BB."

"Oh wow really?" Linda's eyes slightly light up.

Mello sighs to himself. "Annoying."

Then suddenly on their right a monster turns a corner and spots them.

It roars a monster roar and begins charging towards them.

Linda and Matt jump back, Near tenses ready to run or fight while Mello takes a step forward raising the knife.

The monster snarls in a very monster way as it raises its legs opening its mouth getting ready to strike.

"Let's do this." Mello says with a smirk. He lunges and brings the knife down upon the beast in the neck area….. only… the attack doesn't work….

The knife breaks in half not even making a dent on the beast.

Mello's eyes widen as his world seems to go in slow motion as he watches the broken off half of the knife go flying while the rest of the knife in his hand, the handle and bottom half, moves with his hand as he seems to finish the slash. He then starts quickly moving backwards as his world begins to go back to regular time. He turns and begins running along with the others and his world goes back to regular time.

The beast roars as it misses it's attempted attack on Mello then it screeches only to chase after them.

The four run trying to get away.

"Near. You know these streets better than any of us. Take the lead." Matt says almost shouting.

Near nods and dashes up to the front now leading the group as they run through the streets. He already has mapped out in his mind quite a few options of escape. He keeps his eye on the second turn left when suddenly him and the others have to screech to a halt.

Another monster has jumped down in front of them.

"This way." Near says going harshly to the right with the others following as they quickly go into an alley way one by one with Near in the lead then Mello then Matt and finally Linda as they run through the alley.

The monsters just barely fit as they give chase almost crashing into each other.

Near ignores some of the earlier turns then he takes a left when there is no more straight unless you want to hit the wall.

The others follow doing their best to keep up.

Near keeps running straight then he takes the only turn right that has come up since their last turn.

Matt and Linda almost skid past the turn but manage to stop in time and continue to follow Near while Mello didn't have much trouble.

The other three are feeling a little lost as Near continues to lead them through the alley ways.

"Where exactly are we going?" Linda questions slightly panting.

"Just trust Near. He knows these streets like its nothing." Matt explains. "Just continue following."

Near takes a right as the other three follow then after a quick glance back that isn't noticed by the other three it's so sneaky then he takes the second left. He ducks down on the other side of a big trash bin that has boxes on the other side along with the end of the alley way being a fence dead end with no gate.

The other three quickly follow and the four huddle there as they hear the monsters footsteps only for it slow to a stop. They all stay quiet as the monsters footsteps sounds like it takes a few then probably looks around.

Linda is practically hugging Matt like a teddy bear at this point.

The monster makes a loud roar then it dashes off down the alley the way the four would have gone had Near not had them take a turn then duck down into hiding.

Linda wonders if they should get out and turns to them. "Should we get going now?" She whispers.

"Wait quietly for a little longer." Mello hisses quietly back.

Near shushes them then silence falls over them.

After another minute or two Near shifts and peers out past the trash bin.

He signals for them to follow as the sneakily get out of the hiding spot only to stop pressing themselves against the wall on the opposite side they were hiding on earlier. He peers around it even glancing up. "It's gone." He steps out from the turn.

The others drop their stealth mode and join him.

"We should get back before more of these things will find us." Matt says.

"Yeah! They're icky and scary!" Linda whines in agreement.

"We still need to find a way to defeat them and staying cooped up will not help us there. Where the Hell did they come from and why?" Mello responds.

"But we have nothing to even try to fight with against them since the knives don't work." Near says. "Let's return to our temporary camp for now."

Mello grumbles and they head to their temporary home.

They climb down with Near going first to turn on the light and the others following, Linda rushing down after Near instead of waiting her turn.

Mello closes the door behind himself.

"Oh wow!" Linda immediately begins looking crazily around jumping from one place to another then another.

The three boys end up just sitting on one of the beds watching her be crazy.

The order being Mello on Matt's left and Near on Matt's right.

"So what use do we have for her?" Matt says only loud enough for them to hear as Linda is way too busy being hyper and a little annoying especially with that she won't shut up.

"We could keep her to out run her when being chased by beasts. She could be bait to let us escape." Mello says.

"We could have her to take care of the place." Matt offers.

Near and Mello frown at that.

"This place doesn't need much caring for and having a woman do it I'm sure she'd try to change things." Near says with understandably wanting to not change things here since this is an important place to him.

"And I think I'd rather become a house wife then have her even try to just take care of the place. Linda just can't do it and would only annoy us to death even with the caring for a place." Mello adds.

"Point taken." Matt says remembering when he get a sneak peek at her room once and really if she had taken care of the place….. disaster would strike.

"She could annoy the beasts away." Mello says.

"Well at least we have a female." Matt says.

The other two look to him as Linda continues her hyper crazy look around.

"Matt." Mello says in slight warning.

"Well think about it. If we are the last humans we'll need to repopulate." Matt says.

Mello and Near obviously do not like that idea one bit and Mello even punches the back of the red heads head.

Matt hunches over holding the back of his head. "Ow." He whines.

"You bring that up again and I'll kill you." Mello snorts.

Near doesn't say anything but his expression seems to be agreeing with Mello.

"Ok. Ok! Sorry." Matt whimpers and slightly straightens lowering the arm on Nears side down to the bed as he rubs the back of his head with the other.

"This place is cool!" Linda does a twirl in the middle of the main area.

"I still say we only keep her to outrun her when being chased by those beasts." Mello says.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter eight:

AN:

I wasn't going to put this but I think people would appreciate it if I did.

As I have warned there is some scary parts and this chapter holds one of the main scary parts though not all will find it scary and I'm doing my best to keep the scray parts from making it a horror story. There obviously will be more scary parts as we go along but I won't be putting warnings for each one. You have been warned.

Mello.

"How are we going to arrange the sleeping arrangement now?" Matt suddenly asks.

Mello and Near pause at this.

How are they going to arrange their sleeping arrangements now!?

There are only two beds and they can only fit two people comfortably.

"I'd rather be caught dead by the beasts before I even think of sharing a bed with Linda." Mello growls.

Near starts to twirl his hair. "I am with Mello, even I will not be able to even be able to stand the thought of sharing a bed with Linda."

Matt rubs the back of his head with a 'ha ha' look on his face. "Guess I'm the only one who can stand her enough to share a bed with her." He says then lowers his hand to his side only to glance to Near then to Mello. "Seems you two will be sharing the other bed."

Mello growls turning with an angry glare and is about to retort to this when Matt continues.

"I'm sure you two are both civil enough to simply share a bed." Matt says wording his words carefully to make it seem like a challenge.

Mello's eyes narrow slightly and snorts slightly as he turns away. "Fine I'll do it." He says slightly crossing his arms over his chest.

Matt smiles and slightly fist pumps the air doing it fast then going back to how he was before so Mello doesn't catch him. He got the two rivals to agree, Near not saying anything had the red head taking it as silent agreement, to share a bed. He is sure that they are well on their way to becoming closer so at some point they'll no longer be rivals. He is only trying to speed things along.

Linda is finally calming down from her hyperness. She turns to the males panting slightly and her eyes shine with happiness. "Oh man it's so awesome to finally know I'm not alone!" She goes to jump hug them with her eyes closed happily as she has her mouth open as if saying 'yay!'.

The three boys quickly move out of the way standing away from the bed, that the bed that Mello and Matt shared one night with Matt and Linda going to be sharing it now, as Linda lands on the bed they were sitting on a moment ago.

"Can we take her outside and get rid of her?" Mello quietly hisses to the other two.

"We need to survive, the more we go out especially after so soon not only will we risk the beasts finding this place but also risk our chances of survival." Near sighs not objecting to getting rid of Linda. "We need a good plan." He adds not going into detail as Linda gets up.

Linda turns to them with a smile. "What are you talking about?" She asks.

"We are just discussing some ideas on what to do next. Whether we should head out or stay here." Near responds.

"Yeah and it'll be better if we stay here. I would rather not run into those horrible monsters." Matt says with a slight whimper of fear.

"I'm with Matt. Let's try to stay away from those icky scary beasts." Linda whines.

"This place is only a temporary hide out." Mello says crossing his arms over his chest. "We need to get moving as soon as possible." He points out. "The longer we stay here the more likely we are to be found." He uncrosses his arms slightly. "The knives only work to stop those still in human form that have not become full on beasts judging by what an experience with me and Near while being out there gathering food." He adds. "We must keep moving as much as possible."

Near nods in agreement.

"Well we have enough food to support us for a while. We can officially start moving when it runs out." Matt says.

"Food!" Linda jumps happily. "Let's eat!" She rushes to get some food.

The three boys either roll their eyes, shake their heads or sigh at Linda as they are starting to feel the annoyingness they thought they were free from when they thought it was just them three.

This is going to be a looooong night.

They stay in their temporary home with Matt and Linda distracted by the T.V. that works though probably not for long as it's probably the already scheduled shows that were already put up to run at certain times.

Mello and Near on the other hand debate on strategies from what to do, how they will survive, places to look for possible clues on how to possibly defeat the beasts and such on.

As time goes on they begin to get tired so they switch off the T.V., switch the light to the dim light for as they sleep or try to.

Near also puts the engraved knife he was playing with last night away.

Matt and Linda settle down into the bed closest to the main area as Linda, who is on the opposite side of the side of the bed facing Mello and Near, is soon asleep.

Mello and Near also settle into their bed with Near on the side of the bed facing Matt and Linda.

Matt stays awake for a little longer and he rolls so his back is to Linda as he looks to Mello and Near.

Near shows that he obviously has no problem sharing a bed with Mello as is comfortably on his side not hanging by the edge. He falls asleep at some point.

Mello is having a little trouble as he hangs closer to the edge on his side.

Matts eyes begin to close sleepily and just before he falls asleep he smiles seeing Mello roll over.

Mello sighs softly as his mind reminds him of their, him Near and Matt, first night as survivors. He then rolls over to face Near. He blinks as he sees Near's peaceful sleeping face facing in his direction. He watches Near sleep for a little bit and finds himself being lulled into sleep by it. He is soon asleep. He isn't sure how long he's asleep before he groans as something wakes him up. He opens his eyes half way wondering what or who woke him up.

There's some noises that sound like some of the monsters are around the entrance area.

His eyes widen as he slightly slowly sits up. He glances towards the entrance area.

Near also starts to awaken as Mello gets up. He blinks and looks up to Mello getting up as the beats go quiet. He starts to sit up as the beasts start to make noises again. He and Mello share a look then Near gets up.

They stay quiet as they wait to hear what the beasts will do.

Matt and Linda begin to awaken and they sit up as Matt wakes first then Linda.

Matt yawns a little loudly and Mello shoots forward covering Matt's mouth as he kneels beside the red head. The red head is confused at first then he noticies the sounds making his eyes widen.

"W-What's going on?" Linda stutters in fear.

"Shut up." Mello hisses as he releases Matt.

They are now all silent listening to the noises of the beasts outside waiting to hear what the beasts will do.

The beasts hang around the entrance way then there's a roar only for the beasts to quickly move away.

The four stay silent a minute or two after then they relax with a sigh of relief.

"We can't stay here any longer. It's getting too dangerous." Mello says as he turns on the brighter light with Near turning off the dimmer light.

"We should get going as soon as possible." Near agrees coming back to them as Matt and Linda get up.

"But what about all the stuff we need her?" Matt asks holding back a whimper as he doesn't want to face the beasts.

"We'll go out and grab a backpack and use them to carry what we need only." Mello says.

And so the four of them sneak out into the city to find some backpacks.

They creep along through the alley way after they get out of their temporary hide out.

Near who is in the lead peers around the corner to check for any enemies. "Clear." He says and takes the lead as they carefully sneak into the streets to get to a store with backpacks.

They get into a store and begin looking around till they find the backpacks.

Mello grabs a dark brown bag, Matt grabs a green and black army colored bag, Linda grabs a purplish pink bag and Near grabs a light grey bag. They make sure as best they can that it won't set off the alarm then they leave sneaking back luckily not running into any enemies.

As Near closes the door behind them Mello stands like a leader in the main area then Near joins them.

"We need only the things we will need to survive." Mello says. "Nothing more."

Near also joins in. "Make sure each of you have a simple kitchen knife though I think Mello is the only one who needs to grab another. They can give us a little longer time to escape if we use it on those who are still human but are still enemies. The main thing we need from here is food so we'll split it between the four of us."

Mello slightly clenches his teeth but joins with the other three in getting food splitting it between themselves so no one is carrying a much heavier load than the others; but they give the heavier and or things they won't really eat to Linda in hopes that if they can out run her then they don't really lose anything.

They do this and at some point things start to get heated between Linda and Mello in a bad way.

"You are uselessly stupid I swear." Mello growls. "Don't you know we can't take this with us since it will not last long enough!? We need to only take the food that will last!"

Linda makes a pouting noises. "You are so mean! I was only grabbing the food like we are supposed to!"

Mello groans in annoyance. "Ugh. You're so stupid. I've just had enough of you and your useless annoying stupid self." He partly growls.

Linda glares at Mello who glares a death glare back.

Matt and Near are off on the sidelines pausing at what they are doing only to turn to watch this all happen.

Linda moves a few steps forward towards Mello.

"Should we stop them?" Matt asks as they just keep watching things go on but he turns to Near pretty much in the middle of when he's speaking.

Near responds. "Probably." And as he in the middle of speaking Matt turns back to watching the two along with Near.

But neither probably move to do anything as they watch things unfold.

Linda raises a hand to slap Mello but Mello grabs her wrist stopping her as they seem to be having a glaring contest.

Before things get too heated in a bad way Matt steps forward.

"Ok guys lets take it easy. Aren't we supposed to be doing something?" Matt swears if this was an anime he would have a nervous sweat drop on his head.

Mello growls but releases Linda moving away from her muttering then speaks up after he's done. "Everyone ready?" He glances around at the others once they got the food that would last more than one night and are closing their bags.

The others nod and they leave with Near switching off the light as well as closing the door behind them after they leave.

Matt and Near push a nearby dumpster so that way the legs holding it up are not on the entrance but the dumpster is still overtop in a way that it's not touching the entrance but still keeping the place Near used to live at with A and BB cannot be opened unless the dumpster is moved.

With that they leave heading out into the streets.

"We should probably not stay in town for too long. We need to keep moving since staying in one place for a while puts us in more danger." Near says as they walk along the street.

"Let's leave town today. We have a good amount of food for now." Mello says and they head towards the edge of town while still listening for any sounds of enemies.

It's too eerily quiet and it sends them into high alert.

They walk past an alley way that they don't pay attention to then a minute or two after there is a growl making them pause only to look behind themselves.

There stands a beast seemingly glaring at them.

They turn and run the direction they were walking before.

Up ahead two more beasts step out only to turn to spot them.

Near takes the lead turning into an alley way with the others following.

Linda ends up in the back as she tries her best to keep up as Near leads them through the maze of alleys.

As they keep running with the beasts chasing them she finds the three males are much more fit then she is as she begins to fall behind.

"Guys!" She calls out reaching towards them feeling exhausted.

But they don't hear her.

She trips and falls scraping her knee only to hurry to get back to her feet. She scrambles to her feet and begins running whimpering at the pain. She turns as it's the only way to go only to slow to a stop finding herself out on the main road again but no sign of the three males. "Guys?" she calls out fearfully. She turns about to go back into the alley to find them only to end up facing a beast. Her eyes widen in terror and suddenly before she can even have a chance to annoy the beast said beast grabs her opening her mouth wide almost to the point of it hurting to be so widely open tilting her head back. She tries to get her frozen in terror stiff body to struggle as tears stream down her face.

The beast leans over her opening its own mouth only for something big and round like a big egg or something to be dropped into her mouth.

She struggles and tries to push the slimy egg like thing out but the beast holds her until the egg like thing is forced very very painfully down her throat into her body as her tears fall like waterfalls.

The beast releases her and she falls to her knees crying at the searing pain as she hunches over holding her stomach as she feels something seeming to have a small explosion inside herself then not long after she blacks out then all she can do is watch what her body is seeing as she can no longer control it.

Meanwhile…

Mello, Matt and Near stop and are panting though it's mainly Mello and Matt panting. They had escaped the alley way then ran along the road for only half a minute before they turned into another alley only to turn into a dead end area s they stop to take a break since they lost the beasts.

Matt glances around only to notice something. "Hey guys where's Linda?" He asks.

The other two glance around as they all realize that they have lost track of Linda before they even planned on losing her.

"She must have fell behind." Mello says.

"Or she took a wrong turn but either way she's most likely beast food now." Near says.

"Why did you take us into a dead end alley area?" Mello growls turning to Near with a demanding glare.

"Because I knew we had lost the beast but had we not turned we would have been much more easily caught." Near explains.

Mello growls slightly. "Yeah? Well if you had been wrong we would have been beast food along with Linda."

Near looks to Mello. "I like you and everyone else may not know everything on everything however I know what I'm doing when it comes to escaping in these streets." He reminds Mello.

Mello's eyes narrow slightly. "Yeah? Well we can survive out on our own. Don't think of yourself as high and mighty because we can survive without you!"

"Mello!" Matt takes a step forward slightly wide eyed and doesn't want them to fight though he believes Mello's earlier fight with Linda still has him a little riled up.

"Well then lets go." Near says turning towards the fence with no gate and the fence is too high to climb. He jumps onto the green box of sand for the winter when things get icy. He then leaps onto a board resting against a box knocking over a barrel that was holding it there in turn knocking over the board but using that second time frame, before the things fall, to jump. He puts a hand on the top of the fence and swiftly moves himself up; without having to flip himself as he skillfully balances on one hand swinging his legs over. He's not sitting on the fence with his arms at his sides and his back to the other two. He turns to look to them. "Are you coming?" He asks.

"Show off." Mello growls and he moves forward jumping onto the box of sand. He then jumps up onto a barrel that falls as Mello isn't able to jump in time. He falls but lands well enough only to hurt for a second as he wasn't high up when he fell. He growls then gets up only to see Near still sitting there watching them over his shoulder.

"I know Mello can do it." Near says in encouragement as he kind of feels like he is giving them some kind of lesson on street survival.

Mello goes for it again this time he uses the box that now has nothing on it to jump up. He reaches up and grabs onto the top of the fence as his arms are just long enough to reach it. He puts his feet on the flat wood of the fence as he gets his other hand onto the top of the fence. He uses both his scrambling feet that are trying to get a grip and his arms to pull himself up onto the top of the fence now sitting beside Near.

Near smiles at Mello. "I knew you could do it." He says.

Mello glances to Near unsure now if he should be angry that Near seemed to already know he would make it or if he should be feeling something better that Near believed in him being able to do it. He goes with neither and just jumps down onto the ground on the other side of the fence landing on his feet.

Near turns back to Matt. "Your turn." He says.

Mello moves out of the way enough that if the other two jump down then he won't be jumped on. He glances slightly down as he thinks. He thinks about their journey so far and he finds himself looking closely at each time he has seen a different Near than he expected as he begins to wonder if his view on Near was way off. He blinks coming back to reality when he hears scrambling. He turns and sees Matt is trying to get up but Near is having to help pull him up as Matt must have been unable to find a way to grab onto the top of the fence. He turns away as Matt gets up onto the fence then after Near gives a few encouraging words to the red head him and Near hop down.

The three continue on their way only to start running as they hear a beast growl behind them only to have three beast growls.

The three beasts chase them as they exit the city heading out into the countryside.

The three find the beasts are generally nipping at their heels since they've been running a lot though Near stays in the lead with Mello behind him then Matt behind Mello though they aren't in a straight line.

"There!" Mello says loudly as he spots a mostly white building that is obviously abandoned.

They race towards it trying to pick up the pace.

Near opens the door that opens inward and makes sure the other two dash inside only to follow them in. He turns and quickly tries to close the door but the beasts bang against it together making it a fight against Near and the three beasts.

Mello and Matt quickly move to help Near push the door closed as they join in the struggling.

The two groups continue to push as the beasts try to get their legs and bodies in through the door while pushing to try to get it open meanwhile the three males are pushing against the beasts to close the door without being grabbed by the beasts.

The three males feel their hearts pound in fear and slight adrenaline.

The beasts are starting to push them back as they are getting close to getting inside.

Then Mello, Near and Matt start to make progress as they push as hard as they can. They finally slam the door shut as the beasts retract their legs before they are slammed by the door.

Mello finds the lock clicking it closed now that they have the door closed.

The three males stop their pushing and slide down the door to sit with a small sigh of relief as they take this moment to rest after pushing so hard.

Once they are a little rested they glance around to see where they have ended up.

"Where are we?" Matt asks in a gasp.

"What the hell is this place?" Mello says as he slightly slowly gets to his feet.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter nine:

The place is obviously abandoned and it is not all in one piece but it is enough to protect them from the beasts for now. The place is mostly black, grey and white as the main colors seen in the building.

They are in what looks like a main entrance way with a circle like space that other than parts of the building and stuff like that it is empty.

At the opposite end from where the three are there is a hallway that leads off to somewhere they can't see from where they are.

Whenever they walk on the grey metal floor their footsteps create clanking noises that are soft but loud enough to be heard with each step they take.

"I say we check it out." Near says starting to walk forward as Mello does the same.

Matt hesitates. "Um guys what if there is beasts ahead?" He asks.

Mello and Near stop only to turn to Matt.

"Well it doesn't seem like there is and it's a lesser chance of them being in here. Unless you feel like going outside to face the beasts out there then come with us." Mello says turning away only to continue to the hallway.

Near glances to Matt as the red head dashes to join them then they jog to catch up with Mello.

They walk down the hall glancing around trying to take it all in.

Anything they can see outside of the hallway, the damage, the architecture and anything else they can take in.

The hall is the same color as the rest of the building and it looks like it was once a nice yet simple styled hallway.

Near looks ahead as the end of the hall is approaching. "No. This couldn't be….. Could it?" He then dashes ahead.

"Near!" Matt calls after him.

Mello and Matt share a look wondering what's gotten into Near then they turn away racing to catch up with Near.

Near is stopped in the room the hall took them to when Mello and Matt join him slowing to a walk as they leave the hall to try to take the whole place in only to stop by Near.

The place they have found themselves in is what looks to be a big laboratory for big experiments but it now is abandoned along with damaged.

In the center of the room is what looks to be the main experimenting area with the machines all around as well as places leading to other rooms and space to walk around.

The three cautiously and a little slowly begin moving towards the big center surrounded by a continuous technologic panel that wraps all around it.

"What the Hell happened here." Mello gasps as they continue to look around.

Near looks and sees something. He goes over to an area where there is a pile of rubble. He kneels by it then he moves some of it uncovering a badly damaged camera. "Whatever happened they had cameras." He says slightly tilting his head back but in a way so he can still look at the camera.

"So all we have to do is find the surveillance room." Mello says.

"Then we can find out what exactly just happened." Near agrees as he stands up slightly glancing around the pile of rubble.

Mello looks to the doors. "But which way is it?"

"We'll have to explore." Near says.

"Split up?" Mello turns to the direction the other two are generally in.

"We need to stick together. For starters we have no way to contact each other. Another thing is if one of us is lost then it can be a huge problem we would want to avoid." Matt says then throws his hand into the middle looking brightly hopeful at the other two. "We stick together and if we get lost we'll do it together. We're a team." He says.

Mello and Near glance to each other for a moment then Near smiles quite softly only to go over to Matt.

Near puts his hand over top of Matts. "A team." He nods.

Both turn to Mello.

Mello slightly clenches his teeth as if in thought then he sighs softly only to go over to them. "Fine we'll stick together." He puts his hand in the middle.

"Yay team!" Matt throws his hand up slightly throwing the others two's hands up as he happily grins.

"Let's get going." Mello says after a roll of his eyes at Matt.

"This way!" Matt points to a random direction. "Come on." He begins to run towards the first door in that direction.

Mello and Near go after him.

Matt tries to open the door only for it to fall off. He looks at it obviously not having expecting that.

Mello sighs slightly and reaches over taking the door tossing it off to the side.

They go in and only find themselves facing a door that's slightly ajar with the label of the chemical room.

There is only that and a small space between the two doors.

"Next door!" Mello says turning around since they have no idea what kind of dangerous chemicals could have been broken getting into the air.

They can't risk it so they head to the next door.

Opening it with no problems and not having it fall off this time.

They go inside only to find… A break room with a lounge?

"Things are starting to not make sense." Matt says looking at the tattered, broken and some are even destroyed couches.

The couches are obviously too unsafe to even put a hand on it to try to help support yourself.

They move on to the next door….. Only to find it locked.

"Let's break it down!" Mello cracks his knuckles.

Near turns to look to the other doors. He slightly jogs away going two doors over. He looks to it then turns to Mello and Matt who are about to try to bust the door open by trying to ram into it. "Or we could try to door that says surveillance on it." He says pointing to the black door.

Mello and Matt pause as they were just about to charge and they look to Near.

"That works too." Matt says and they head over to join Near.

Near turns as they begin heading over. He reaches for the doorknob but it's of course locked. He kneels down and checks the lock.

It's a key lock.

"Is there any thin pieces of metal like a paperclip." Near asks glancing to the other two.

They stop and glance around for something.

"Um not really." Matt says bringing a hand slightly to his head.

Near glances around himself. "What about in the other rooms?" He asks.

"We can just smash it open." Mello says with a slight snort as if stating the obvious.

Near looks to him with a slight frown. "No it won't work. I know labs and even if you try to bust it down it won't work."

Mello snorts. "Oh really? And how can you be so sure?"

"Because my father was a head scientist in a big lab kind of like the general idea of this one." Near informs them. "I've seen them try to open a door that way but it doesn't work. Our best bet is to pick the lock."

"If it wasn't for my pride to avoid probably looking like a fool I would have tried to bust it down." Mello grumbles a little but joins Matt in looking for something to pick the lock with.

In the door between the door Mello and Matt were going to try to bust down and the surveillance room door Matt finds an office that is just a general office like you see in a movie.

He opens a drawer and finds a box of paper clips. "Found them!" He raises the box up into the air even though he is the only one in the room. He closes the door bringing his hand down then quickly leaves the room as Mello comes over to join Matt.

The two head over to Near as Matt hands Near the box of paper clips.

Near gives a thanks as he takes the box then he turns to the lock taking out a paper clip straightening it. He begins working on picking the lock working on it carefully until it clicks indicating its open. He pulls away as Mello opens the door. He tosses the paper clip as Matt brings the box in case they need to go into other rooms deciding to add the box to his bag later.

Sure enough they walk into a surveillance room.

There is a smell of death that is there but also weak since the place is aired out by things like the holes of the ruined building.

Sitting in the chair hunched over is a skeleton.

Mello shoves it off the chair then sits in it not really caring as he turns to the equipment there.

Matt looks wide eyed and gestures with his hands to the now broken skeleton as he gaps as if lost for words.

"Already here we are." Mello says trying to get things to work as Near comes over putting one hand on the empty area of the technologic table as well as the other hand on the chair letting him watch.

Matt looks to the two still wide eyed. "You broke a persons body!" He gaps.

Neither notice or care about what Mello did to the body.

Then suddenly things go a little crazy, mainly on the screens, like Mello did something wrong as Mello raises his hands in slight surrender and Near lowers his arms to his sides as he quickly steps back.

"I didn't do anything. Damn this stupid thing." Mello grumbles.

Matt sighs and slightly kicks Mello out of the chair so now he has a person standing on each side beside him. "Let the professional handle this. These kinds of things can be delicate." He says then he begins quickly working with pure confidence. He fixes whatever Mello did and begins to work to get it all up and running again then once he's done that he begins looking through the stuff there as they try to find the tapes or at least the sections that might have something.

They decide to try a few days before things started to get weird in the orphanage.

What shows on camera is a few beasts here and there in the destroyed building.

They go back a few days more finally finding people.

Matt turns on the sound as they watch whatever experiment is going on.

One person who is probably the head of the place is giving out orders to the others at the equipment along the walls in areas the things will fit as the leader is at the area where the technology panel is around the middle.

"Alright here we go." The leader says putting his hands on the empty space on the panel. "Let's try to make human and crab separated to try to make clones to see which one works." He gives a go ahead nod to start it.

Something starts to glow in the middle as things must be going as planned.

The orders continue then as things begin to get more intense with a wiring noise then the tube like thing in the middle starts to shake as the leader slams his fist on the panel where nothing is as he shouts more orders at the others.

People rush around as things continue to heat up and an alarm goes off probably to mean that the tube is having dangerous pressure or something as it rattles like crazy.

The leader refuses to give up and continues to shout orders.

Then suddenly he turns to the pipe like middle as things look like they are going to explode and the pipe breaks like shattering glass as a beast that Mello, Near and Matt have been trying to not get caught by jumps out as if flying out from somewhere under the panel out of side.

It lands on the ground and the people in the room stare wide eyed at it. It slightly lifts its head letting out a low growl.

The people all start to panic fearfully and the beast tilts its head slightly back as it roars only to put its head back to its proper angle.

The beast charges at the people who start running around trying not to get caught by the beast.

The leader looks a little uncertain as he looks around watching his people.

The beats shows no mercy and plants an egg into each person it catches.

Each person it drops an egg into shows quite bad pain then they become under the beast's control only to help it take over the lab.

Until only the leader is left.

The leader takes a few steps back then turns running towards the surveillance room closing and locking the door behind himself. He seems to lock it then relaxes after only to back away from the door tense as the beast and the ones under its control slam against the door.

The door remains intact and closed.

The leader waits as things go silent only for a few moments as then noises are heard as the beast finds the people weak only to slice open their throats one at a time with one of its legs.

The people it slices their throats open, about half only get their throats sliced open leaving half still human, fall seeming to be dead; only for beast legs to burst free then the body pretty much explodes as the beast from inside gets free.

The beasts that were in the human bodies eat the bodies they had been planted into as there is one beast for one human.

The beasts including those still human all start destroying the building until it is what it is pretty much now.

The leader plops down onto the chair of the surveillance room that is still currently intact with only him as the only life in that room. He sits there obviously trying to figure out what to do now.

Then after a few moments two beasts burst in from the outside wall only to attack the leader until he's nothing but the skeleton Mello, Near and Matt found.

The beasts all leave the building after that.

Mello, Near and Matt are now staring surprised, as well as at least a little horrified mostly just for Matt though, at the screens as they had witnessed what happened.

Near turns and looks to the wall the beasts burst through finding that you can indeed see the outside from the holes.

Mello blinks as he still is looking at the screens. "So this is where those beasts were created." He says almost sounding breathless.

"A failed experiment…. One that went horribly wrong." Near says turning back to the other two.

Matt turns to look to the broken skeleton. "Things like seeing what happens to people caught by the beasts makes me wish this was all a nightmare." He whimpers.

"Reality is harsh." Mello says.

Then the three freeze as a twig snaps behind them.

AN:

I hope I'm not making things too horrific. I'm trying to not make it horror but still interesting.

For all those awesome kind reviewers thank you as well as that there is a small box for more reviews and flamers will be used to make brownies!

Hope you continue reading when I finish and post the next chapter or chapters.

Mello.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter ten:

The three boys cautiously turn to glance outside.

There doesn't seem to be anyone there.

"Time to go." Matt gets up and begins gently pushing the other two towards the door leading into the lab.

The three sneak through the laboratory until they sneak out of the building quickly moving away from it.

No one wants to take the chance that it was the beasts.

They keep walking then suddenly a beast jumps down from a tree or the laboratory building's roof almost seeming to come from nowhere.

It slashes Near as it grips him not wasting a second to react as it hold Near who can't get free.

Near slightly clenches his teeth in pain and his eyes widen a little as he feels fear that he might very well be the next beast.

Suddenly something inside Mello snaps and his eyes narrow in pure rage.

"GET OFF OF HIM YOU DIRTY GOOD FOR NOTHING TRASH!" Mello snarls then dashes forward just in time to save Near before the beast could grip Near in the right way to plant an egg in him. The blonde slams his body into the beast making it screech but stumble letting go of Near giving him a few more slashes as it is unwillingly forced to let go.

Near lets out a soft hiss in pain but does his best to endure it.

"RUN!" Matt calls and begins doing so.

Mello seems to have calmed down a little now that Near is free and the two turn racing away along with Matt.

The three dash off trying to get away.

Near glances back only to see the beast seems to have found something or someone else then it goes after whatever or whoever it spotted in the direction of the laboratory building. Near turns away still following the other two.

They make it to a cave slipping inside using it as shelter for now.

Mello glances around peering outside to make sure they are safe as Matt waits and Near glances to his wounds that are bleeding not looking good at all.

Near grips some of his wounds on his arm with one hand only for him to sit down by the right wall with his back to it closing his eyes for a moment.

Matt turns to Near slightly wide eyes worried. "Near?" He asks worriedly slightly reaching towards Near.

AT this Mello turns to look at what's going on.

Near opens one eye, on the side of him facing Mello's direction. "I'm ok." He says keeping the other eye closed trying to hide any pain he's in.

Mello comes back into the cave and kneels beside Near. "Here let me look." He says.

Near removes his now bloody hand as Mello inspects his wounds. "Really. I'll be alright." He says opening both eyes to half way after blinking once. "I just need to sit for a moment."

Mello frowns. "These look bad." He says then looks to Matt. "What medical supplies do we have?" He asks.

"Let's see." Matt says taking off his backpack.

The other two do the same but Mello tells Near to rest so he takes Near bag to look.

They find they have limited medical supplies but just enough to help Near.

"It'll have to do." Mello says organizing the few supplies in what they need and don't need. "Take off your shirt. We'll start there." He says.

With a soft blush Near does as told.

The are wounds on his torso and on his arm opposite the wounds on his torso seem to be the worst with the opposite sides from the worst ones are not as worrying.

Mello grabs the cleaner cloths in the packages. He rips the first one he grabs open taking out the small cloth dropping the package. He begins to clean the worst wounds on Near's torso first.

Near very slightly flinches, hardly noticeable, at the harsh sting as Mello cleans the wounds.

Mello continues then has to use a second one to clean the not as bad wounds on Nears torso before he gives that one to let Near clean his hand while Mello wraps the tape like white bandages around Near's torso making sure to do the job of bandaging the wounds well. He then used two new small cloths so one for each of Near's wounds on his arms then bandages the wounds the same way he bandaged Near's torso.

When done it looks good.

"There. Now you should be alright." Mello says putting what they have left back into whichever bag was closest which happened to be Matts.

"Thank you." Near says putting his shirt back on.

"We can go back to grab some clothes." Mello says glancing to the torso rips that also is now stained red where the wounds bled onto the shirt.

Near nods.

"We should stay here for at least tonight." Matt says seeing the sun is setting.

Mello gets to his feet. "Alright. I guess it's my turn to be look out. So I'll stay up. You and Near get some rest." He says.

"Well we need to make a way for us to sleep first." Matt says glancing to the hard floor of the cave.

"Use the backpacks as pillows." Mello says. "It's the best we can do. Just watch out for any glass containers in them." He finds a rock in the middle area between the other two and the entrance to the cave.

"Ok boss." Matt does a small salute to Mello then shifts the bags making sure to use the two without glass containers with the other one having one glass container.

Mello watches as Matt makes sure Near gets safely to one of the bags, that have a small space between them as if Matt instinctively knew that Mello was starting to get protective of Near in some ways; so he had to be careful of that boundary he can't cross.

Matt settles down as Near drifts off into the darkness of unconsciousness.

Mello looks away and looks out of the cave to the darkening sky. He feels protective of the other two but he can't fully place why especially since they could take care of themselves….. Near more than Matt. He doesn't dwell on it long as he switches his thoughts to everything they have learned so far. His mind takes him to the question if they are the last humans alive or not at least in this country as who knows if the beasts have made it all around the world already or not.

A few minutes later….

Mello looks over to the other two as they sleep. He can't help but smile a little as he can slightly see their peaceful sleeping faces in the dim moonlight streaming into the cave though it is a little hard to see their sleeping faces.

Maybe just maybe he can truly by happy like this.

The three of them together and looking out for each other.

Matt his best friend who he considers a brother.

And….

Near his….. Not rival….. Friend?... Acquaintance?

Mello isn't exactly sure what he wants to be with Near but what he does know is that he and Near are no longer rivals. He not only sees Near as not the full of himself person who thinks he better than everyone the blonde thought he was but he also now sees Near in a new light. He sees Near as a boy who had no one since his only friends are gone…He had no one else to turn to as the other orphans, other than annoying Linda as well as when Ace tried to flirt with him, didn't even bother with him unless it was to bully him when they thought Mello wouldn't know.

Needless to say Mello often started fights with them saying it's either because Near is his to bully or saying it's only a coincidence, depending on how things all happened as it makes sense.

Now here they are working together to try to defeat the beasts and to survive.

Sure he's missing his chocolate right now but he only has limited bars right now so he needs to not eat them all at once however he finds he's still feeling happy.

A distant roar makes him turn back to the cave entrance serious and alert.

"I will protect you…. Both of you." He says to himself.

Near's P.O.V.

I shift slightly as I start to awaken from my dream of the three of us at the orphanage seeing how things possibly would have been there had we been closer like we are now. I open my eyes finding sunlight streaming through into the cave as I am laying on my back and….. Someone is snuggled against me. I turn my head to look to my side finding Matt started cuddling me in his sleep. I sit up a little slowly to be safe in case it makes me light headed.

Matt's arm that had been draped over my chest rolls down to my legs as I sit up.

I bring a hand to my hair to twirl a strand of hair. I look to where Mello was keeping watch….. Only he's nowhere to be seen.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter eleven:

"Mello?" Near says a little softly as he looks around for the blonde not finding him anywhere.

Mello doesn't respond.

Near gets to his feet and begins walking towards the cave entrance looking for the blonde. "Mello?" He tries again as he slowly spins turning every few steps to look around himself then when he's facing the cave entrance again he's almost at it. He walks to it and pauses a moment to glance around outside but still no sign of the blonde. He steps outside and looks around only to find Mello leaning against the wall just outside of the cave that makes the caves front wall around the entrance. "Mello?" His head is turned to Mello but his body is only a small bit turned to Mello.

Mello blinks as he had been looking either at the top of the trees or to the sky then he turns to Near meeting the younger's gaze. "Ah good morning Near." He says and raises his almost finished chocolate bar, Near just noticed Mello has, to his mouth taking a bit out of it breaking the last bit in half.

Near turns his body so now he's fully facing Mello. "Are you tired?" He asks. "You know I can take over and let you sleep."

Mello, holding the piece of chocolate between his teeth, turns to Near looking at him with a slight protesting look. He eats the piece of chocolate before answering. "No Near. You're hurt. You need all the rest you can get."

"Mello I'm much stronger than I look." Near says. "I'll be fine."

Mello doesn't let Near speak another word. "I don't care how strong you are. You're hurt and that's that." He says then finishes eating his chocolate. "Don't fret over silly things. I'll get my rest later."

Near frowns at that as he twirls his hair. "Mello needs rest to function properly. He really should-"

Mello puts an hand over Nears mouth making the other pause. "Enough." He says sternly. "Don't worry about it. The end. Nothing else." He says staring into Nears eyes. "Ok?"

Near knows that there's no talking Mello out of it so he nods.

Mello lets go of Near. "Good." He says.

Neither had noticed but Matt is awake in the cave and is sitting there watching them with a smile on his face.

Mello turns back to lean against the outside wall since he moved to cover Nears mouth and he looks straight ahead.

Near slightly links his hands behind his back and turns to the same direction Mello is facing.

"It's too peaceful." Mello states after a few moments of silence.

"Maybe they're taking a break." Near offers as an explanation.

"Maybe." Mello glances down slightly as he says the word slightly hushed in tone.

There's a few seconds of silence now.

Mello turns to look to Near and his eyes flicker down to Nears shirt that still is bloody. He clenches his teeth and pushes away from the wall. "Near." He says and Near can't identify the emotion in his voice.

But what Near does know is that there is seriousness mixed in there.

"Yes Mello?" Near tilts his head as he turns to the other.

Mello walks over to Near then stops when in front of the younger.

Near is watching Mello but Mello's eyes are not looking into Nears own.

There's a moment of them standing there standing so close.

Then Mello starts to reach towards Near only to grip Nears shirt.

Near's eyes flicker down to where Mello's hands are for a second only to look back to Mello's face.

Unexpectedly Mello rips Near's shirt off making Near squeak in surprise.

Mello looks much more content now.

Matt raises an eyebrow at the two and smirks.

Near looks wide eyed into Mello's eyes that now look at his own. "M-Mello?" He blushes softly as he feels a little self-conscious and Mello's gaze watching him isn't helping.

Mello smiles. "There. I just hate to see you in that bloody shirt."

Near glances down not used to being shirtless in front of others.

Mello notices this and suddenly takes off his own shirt tossing it so it rests on his bag that is inside the cave but by the entrance. "There." He says and Near looks up to Mello only to see the blonde is also shirtless. "There's no need to be embarrassed. We are all guys."

Matt stands taking off his shirt and vest then tosses it behind himself as he jogs out of the cave. "Mind if I join the party?" He asks with his goofy grin brightened on his face.

Mello smiles and punches the red heads shoulder. "Definitely."

Near smiles softly and twirls a strand of his hair as he finds he feels better now feeling less self-conscious. "Mello and Matt are kind." He says with a hint of gratitude in his voice.

The three share a smile and Matt pats the back of Nears shoulder that closest to him.

Before anyone can say anything a nearby bush starts to rustle making them freeze.

They slightly slowly turn to look to the bush.

Mello pushes Near to slightly behind him on instinct and Matt takes a step back as he starts to cower a little.

The rustling gets louder as whoever or whatever it is gets closer.

The three of them tense ready to fight or run.

Then who jumps out of the bush is a human.

The three have never seen this person before, obviously as none of them say they know the person not even saying a name or anything.

The person is a male who's tall enough that Matt's head would be pretty much at his shoulders indicating that the new comer may be older. He has black that goes to the bottom of his ears and his bangs only cover the top part of his eyes just barely. His eyes are a grassy green color and his skin is just the right amount of pale. He is wearing an unzipped blue hoodie that is between navy blue and sky blue, a grey t-shirt, black runners and jeans. He looks to the three and takes a step back as he tries to figure out if the three are friend or foe.

"Who are you?" Mello demands.

"You're not with the beasts are you?" The male asks a little scared as he ignores Mello's question.

Mello growls and is about to snap at the male when suddenly Near puts a hand on the blondes shoulder. He looks to the mostly albino boy questioningly.

Near slips past Mello and moves closer to the male.

Mello gives warning glares to the male and he hovers close to Near while Matt hangs back watching.

"I can assure we are not with the beasts." Near says. "There's no need to be scared."

The male blinks and begins to relax as he lets Near's words sink in. "Thank you." He says with a smile. "Names Alloy Jagger but you can call me Allen." He introduces himself.

"Call me Near." Near responds and shifts so his side is to Allen while he glances back to Mello and Matt. "The blonde there is Mello." He nods to Mello and Allen looks.

Mello watches Allen as if waiting for the other to mess up or do something that would allow Mello to step in to take him on.

Near then gestures his head to Matt. "And the red head there is Matt."

Allen looks away from Mello and he turns to Matt as the red head gives a wave. He returns it with a smile.

Near turns back to Allen after introductions are done.

Allen blinks as he notices something. "Why are you all shirtless?" He asks.

Near glances away as the feelings of self-consciousness come back so Mello geos over to slightly beside Near.

Mello feels frustrated that his and Matt's good job on helping Near's self-consciousness is now wrecked by one simple question. "Not important for you to know." He slightly snorts. "So you've been running from the beasts. Did you lead any here?" He demands.

Allen shakes his head. "No. I wasn't followed." He assures the blonde. "I would know if I was followed."

Matt comes over seeing no danger. "Say what are you good at?" He asks.

Allen glances to Matt. "Well because of my father who used to chase me into woods to hunt me I am good at outdoor survival." He begins. "At least out in the woods. I also have been working to hopefully become a fashion designer so I'm good at that." He says obviously trying not to brag but trying to answer the question at the same time.

"That'll come into handy." Matt says with a smile.

"Well we should head back into town and make sure to stock up on enough things." Mello says slightly turning away from Allen. "So let's grab our stuff and go." He walks into the cave tucking his shirt into his backpack.

Matt goes to do the same.

Allen turns to Near. "Is he usually like that?" He asks.

"Sometimes." Near says. "He's just not the type to welcome people with open arms. He can be a little stubborn and he also did bully me for a while but give it time. He can be a really great person when he opens up to you." He then goes to grab his backpack.

Allen nods softly at Near's response as if to give an 'ok.'.

In no time the four are off heading towards town.

Mello and Matt are ahead while Near hangs back a little with Allen, though Mello is the leader with Matt a little behind him and if he was walking at the same pace as Mello the red head would be beside Mello without having to turn.

Mello can't help but keep glancing back at Allen and Near still not trusting Allen.

"So you two are now friends?" Allen asks Near.

"We are working on it. But yeah I do believe we are friends." Near responds.

Allen smiles softly. "A bully turned friend is a friend for life." He says.

Near looks to Allen and sees a glimmer of intelligence in his eyes as well as wisdom. He realizes that Allen is quite smart and obviously has great wisdom from possibly experience. He turns to look where he's going. "There's no doubt about that it's better to be friends then enemies." He says and though he may not fully trust Allen yet he feels that if they just are cold to him then they will only push him away possibly to the point of something bad happening or to the point where they never will be able to even have a chance at being close. He knows that as survivors they can't just push away other survivors as in this survivors stick together.

The rest of the walk is mostly silent and they find themselves in town.

The first place is the clothing store to change.

Allen keeps his sweater as well as shoes, though all four of them are keeping their shoes, then he puts on a slightly tinted darker version if his clothes to change into. He puts the outfit he was wearing into a backpack he also finds in the store as well as grabbing some more clothes so he has more than one pair of clothes so he has a little longer before mandatory cleaning to have a fresh pair of clothes.

Near grabs a white long sleeved button up shirt and a pair of washed out looking light blue almost white colored pants that are a little tighter then he's used to but he'll live with it.

Mello puts on a black t-shirt, black pants and a dark brown vest while keeping his shoes.

Matt finds a very similar looking outfit he had on before.

All of them like Allen make sure to grab some extra clothes.

The four of them leave and stop by two other stores.

One to make sure their food stock now includes Allen and that all of them have medical stuff in their bags just in case as well as that they'll have a lot more now.

With that they leave and walk along the streets of the town until a shadow falls over them making them stop.

They turn and there is a beast.

"RUN!" Matt wails in pure terror.

Mello and Near dash off.

Matt grabs Allen and dashes off too with Allen stumbling behind the red head.

The beast lets out a roar.

AN:

Cliff hanger.

I'm trying to not make things boring with too much repetition so I hope I'm still keeping you interested.

The kind reviews are greatly appreciated and flamers will be used to make cake!

Mello.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter twelve:

The beast chases heading towards the direction of the woods.

Mello and Near slow down to a stop as they lose their pursuer in the woods.

Near is slightly hunched over as he pants as Mello puts a hand on a nearby tree as he is also hunched over panting.

They catch their breaths for the most part.

"We did it. We got away." Mello says. "Hey Matt…." He looks up only to trail off when he sees no Matt or Allen.

Near glances around and confirms they are alone as just the two of them somewhere in the woods that seem to have no exit as far as they can see.

"Crap." Mello curses. "We must have lost them when we ran."

"Or they accidently went the wrong way." Near says moving back to his normal standing position.

"Well either way we'll have to hope that they'll be ok until we can regroup." Mello says standing straight and letting go of the tree. "We should be fine."

Near turns to Mello. "Have you had experience surviving out in the woods in your past?" He asks.

Mello blinks and turns to him. "I thought surviving was your thing."

Near slightly glances away. "I'm an expert in street survival since I lived in the streets back where we were. I only know woodland survival from things I have learned like in books." He tells Mello.

Mello runs a hand through his hair with a small sigh. "Just great."

Near raises a hand to twirl his hair and looks to Mello. "I'm sure we'll be fine. With our minds we can figure things out just fine." He says.

"We'll need to figure out a way back to try to find Matt and Allen." Mello says glancing behind himself. "We should try walking back and see if we can find our way out."

Near nods. "Ok that sounds good. Just watch out for beasts."

"I know." Mello slightly snorts.

And the two of them head back in what they believe to be the way they came.

Meanwhile….

Allen puts a hand on a wall of an alleyway as he tries to catch his breath.

Matt leans against the opposite wall trying to catch his breath too. "Whew." He says after he's caught his breath. "We did it." He raises his head. "We made….. It…" He trails off and looks around.

Allen raises his head and sees Matt looking around. "What?"

Matt turns back to Allen. "We lost Mello and Near." He says.

Allen glances around and notices this. "Oh dear." He agrees. "You good at surviving in the city? Cause my expertise is in the woods."

"No." Matt says.

It dawns on the two that they are lost in a place neither of them know hwo to survive well in.

But they aren't alone…

A beast comes over with a growl behind Matt.

Matt slightly slowly turns around. "Aw crap." He curses.

"Get back!" Allen says jumping forward with a lighter lit.

The beast roars and rears back.

Matt watches with wide eyes.

Allen continues to back the beast up. "Go on. Get out of here." He snaps.

The beast roars and Allen brings the flame up higher. The beast runs off.

"I didn't know the beasts weakness was fire." Matt says.

"They are only scared of it. It isn't a kill thing unless you find a way to burn them alive. They are not flammable. I tried when I found out they were scared of fire." Allen explains no longer lighting the lighter.

"We should find some more lighters." Matt says then he turns and whines slightly as he puts a hand slightly to his head. "Must….. Have….. Video games."

Allen puts a hand on Matts shoulder getting the red head to look to him. "Think of this whole thing as a video game. New advanced video game and you are in it with only one life." He says with a smile. "Lets go."

Matt looks amazed then nods determined. "Yeah!" He jumps in the sir throwing a fist up.

Allen takes the lead as they begin first trying to get out of the alley way.

They find an exit and cautiously peer out finding the abandoned streets….. though neither of them actually know where they are. They slip out and look around. "This way!" They say at the same time pointing in opposite directions.

"Um." Matt turns and Allen also turns as their hands almost go to their sides.

Which way do they go? Neither is sure and they are lost.

Of course Mello and Near are faring no better.

They've been walking through the woods for the past while… But no place to exit out of these woods.

"Damn it." Mello curses as they stop to try to get redirected…. But the woods almost all look the same in every direction…. No path….. No more open area on one side or the other.

Just trees and everything else woods hold.

"This is getting us anywhere." Mello grumbles.

Near glances to the sky. "Its about late afternoon." He says looking at the sky. "We should probably rest for a moment." He adds looking back to Mello.

"Probably." Mello says with a small sigh. "This is just so damn frustrating." He plops down into a sitting position with a slight huff.

"We'll find them." Near says as he also sits down only to remove his back pack.

"How can you be so sure?" Mello asks as he too takes off his back pack.

Near's eyes flicker from his own back pack to Mello then he looks back to his back pack as he opens it. "Have you lost faith in us finding them?" He asks.

"No. I'm just being realistic." Mello says.

"Matt knows when to run and Allen is also smart. I'm sure they'd be fine. If they happen to be stuck in town the worst they could do is run to a dead end." Near says as he digs through his bag. "Have faith."

Mello looks to Near silent for a few moments before he blinks then answers. "Ok." He says a little quietly.

Near smiles softly and looks to Mello. "Good. Now can you grab some sticks so we can start a fire."

Mello frowns at that. "I don't take orders." He says. "But why? We aren't staying."

"I thought Mello would be hungry so I was going to make something." Near responds pausing in his digging in his bag.

Mello blinks. "You? Cook?"

"Living on the streets has its perks that way." Near tells the blonde. "A taught me to cook."

"Ah I see." Mello nods.

"I'm not ordering you to grab sticks for a fire." Near then says as he looks back to his bag as he continues digging. "I'm asking if you could."

Mello pauses a moment then he gets up and walks closer to Near. He drops his bag by the other and Near glances to him only for Mello to walk past Near heading to where some sticks are.

Near turns back to what he's doing as he finds things he can work with to make something.

Mello collects firewood from sticks to anything else they can burn with as little smoke as possible. He puts some of it in a pile then the rest away from the pile and grabs two rocks from his bag to start the fire. He gets a spark to ignite the pile and with a little blowing as encouragement he gets the fire started.

Near looks to him when hears the crackling of the fire. "Thank you Mello." He says.

"Yeah." Mello says moving back to not get burned.

Near uses sticks, wetting them with a little water from a water bottle making sure not to use much but enough to keep them from burning, making a stand so he can cook. He begins and Mello watches as Near starts cooking their meal.

The blonde watches for a little bit then wonders if he should help.

"If you want to take a nap you can." Near suddenly says. "It won't be done in a few minutes."

Mello opens his mouth about to protest but Near senses Mello is going to protest.

"I'll wake you if something happens and or when the food is done." Near tells him as he continues his cooking.

Mello looks to Near's face. "There's no talking you out of it is there?" He asks.

Near gives a knowing smile to Mello.

Mello doesn't need a verbal answer as he sighs slightly. "Fine but you had better wake me no matter how small something is." He lays down on the ground and puts an arm under his head as a pillow. "Promise me that."

"I promise." Near says. "Now get some rest."

Mello watches Near for a few moments longer then he makes his eyes close as he tries to get some rest.

Near just continues his cooking.

Mello feels something isn't right and he opens his eyes. He finds he is alone, no fire or fire wood pile and most importantly no Near.

It's as if there is absolutely nothing.

He sits up quickly almost passing out from sitting up so fast. "Near?" He starts to feel worry rise up in his stomach as he looks around the dimly lit forest. He gets to his feet and turns his body looking to what is now behind himself. His eyes widen slightly when he sees some blood on the tree. He moves closer to it and gently touches some of his finger tips to the bark right by the blood.

There isn't much but it's enough to be noticed like a small paint stroke from a fat brush.

He turns looking more frantically. "Near!?" He begins walking around looking for any sign of the other. "NEAR!?" He spots some on another tree and realizes it's a trail. He quickly follows it as he hopes that he isn't too late. He picks up the pace from jogging to running as he continues to follow the trial. "Hey Near!" He tries calling out to the other. "Matt? Allen? Anyone?"

No response so he continues to follow the trail.

A light is up ahead and it looks like the exit out of here as two trees almost look like an archway.

He runs through it even though he can't see what's on the other side.

The trail also includes one of the trees making the archway.

He slows a little as he steps out into the open where the sun is shining. He brings a hand up squinting at the bright sunlight streaming it's powerful warm rays down onto the Earth below. He blinks a few times before his eyes adjust then his eyes widen in horror as well as blur with tears.

There not far from him is the bodies of Near and Matt in a clearing that looks kind of like the one he and Near took a break in from their exploration of the woods trying to find a way out.

Near is leaning against a tree with his back to it as he seems to be sitting in a hunched position that Mello can still see his face. He has roots on either side of him from the tree as if to be snuggled in. He has a cut on his throat with some blood splatter probably from the wound on his shirt.

Matt on the other hand is laying on his stomach arms on either side of his head but low enough that Mello can see his face as his head is turned towards the blonde.

Mello can't see the wound that killed Matt.

Both of them have their eyes closed and Mello brings his hand to his mouth in horror and sorrow.

"No…." He shakes his head in disbelief as he takes a step back. "No….. No… No. No! NO!" He yells out as tears fall down his face and he flings his head back as he cries out. He falls to his knees sobbing and lowers his head only to bring his hands to his face crying into them.

"Mello." Near's voice suddenly speaks softly.

Mello pauses then quickly looks tearfully up in hope.

Near's lifeless looking eyes are looking at him. "Mello." He repeats still softly.

"N-Near?" Mello slightly chokes on a sob as he starts to get up watching Near.

"Mello." Near repeats but his eyes remain lifeless.

Mello blinks as things start to shift as everything seems to start to fade as it starts to become just them.

"Mello!" Near's voice becomes a little louder and his eyes continue to stare lifelessly at Mello's own.

"Near!" Mello gets up and starts to run towards Near. "Near! Don't leave me alone!" He reaches towards Near in desperation. "Don't let me lose both of you!"

"MELLO!" Near's voice shouts and Mello's eyes snap open finding himself laying down with his arm as a pillow.

AN:

I hope it was good. I had a good idea for the last part of this chapter but I started writing it only to forget it. Total sad face but I hope it was good anyways.

Awesome reviewers there is still the box for more reviews including for all of you who want to review!

But be warned!

Flamers will be used to make hot chocolate!

Mello.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter thirteen:

"Are you alright?" Near asks. "You suddenly started to whimper in your sleep. I didn't know what else to do but to wake you."

Mello looks to Near who is looking a little worried. He sits up using his hand behind himself to support himself mainly on one hand. "Yeah. Just a nightmare." He says turning to look in the direction of his own lap as he brings a hand up so his finger tips are on his forehead area.

Near blinks then nods. "Alright. Well it was just a dream." He says. "Maybe this will help. The food is ready."

Mello lowers his hand to his lap and finally notices the delicious smell in the air. He smiles a little at it as his stomach let's Mello silently know it wants to eat whatever is making that good smell. "Mm. Near it smells delicious." He says.

Near smiles. "Thanks. Now come on. Let's eat."

Mello nods and gets up.

The two talk as they eat the yummy food, while still being polite like not talking with food in your mouth, until they are full and it is all gone.

It was quite good Mello must admit.

Actually it was probably one of the best things he has ever eaten.

Now the two are laying on their backs looking up at the sky resting after their meal.

They are laying almost as if they stood their backs would be facing but instead their hands are at an angle so their hands are a little close but still there is a gap between them.

"You're quite the cook." Mello sighs satisfied.

"I'm sure you'd be a good cook too." Near says.

Mello chuckles. "I may be smart but that doesn't mean I'd be able to cook."

"I guess we'll have to find out next time." Near says tilting his head slightly to the side Mello is closest on but doesn't actually move.

Mello smiles and stares at the sky. "Maybe." He says.

Near turns back to the sky and goes silent.

The silence passes for about two minutes before Mello starts to worry sensing something might be wrong.

"Near?" The blonde asks worriedly as he sits up.

Near seems to snap back to reality then he too sits up. He gives a small assuring look to Mello. "I'm ok."

Mello frowns obviously not believing him.

Near glances away. "I was just thinking to myself."

Mello raises an eyebrow slightly. "About what?" He asks.

Near sighs softly almost in a sad that almost makes Mello take back his question as he worries he shouldn't have snooped then the mostly albino boy speaks. "I was just thinking about the time in my past when I learned just how dangerous lab explosions can be." He begins then he raises a hand to twirl his hair.

Mello watches him and listens.

Near continues after a few seconds or so. "My dad was doing an experiment with his workers. They were trying to make a strong power from a special darkness passed down to each generation in my family as protectors of it. He was hoping to make it useful." He sighs softly then continues a half a second or so after. "My mother died of illness when I was three years old so all I had left was my father. I was only about six years old when it happened. I went to find him and just I got into the lab saying father to get his attention…. Things were going down badly….. Then an explosion happened with no one even having time to try to run." He lowers his head so his chin is to his chest and his hand slips from his hair falling to hang by his side. "I lost everything I cared for that day." He brings his hand he had been twirling his hair with to take out a necklace he's wearing around his neck.

It's a single rectangle charm on a just right sized chain. The charm is a navy blue jewel that isn't small or too big but just right and it slightly seems to glimmer in the light.

Near stares sadly at it.

Mello puts a comforting arm around the other and brings him closer. "I'm sorry." He says.

Near leans into Mello and lets go of his necklace. "It's not your fault." He says.

"But still I'm sorry even so." Mello says. "I probably shouldn't have snooped."

"It's ok." Near says. "I actually feel a little better now." He admits.

This makes Mello smile. "Good." He says. "Well now. I guess it's only fair."

Near looks questioningly at Mello letting his charm fall to his chest.

"I should tell you my past as well." Mello says.

Near opens his mouth to say that Mello doesn't have to but Mello puts a finger on Near's lips closing them.

"It's ok." Mello says in an almost soft tone.

Near blinks flickering his eyes to Mello's finger then back up to Mello as Mello removes his finger.

"When I was young my dad didn't really like me all that much and he walked out on us as he well found out my mom had dated another guy for a bit but he left her when she became pregnant with my half-brother who is older. My mom fell apart at that even though I was for sure his son my dad told me I was another man's trash before he left. He told me I was probably some fifty year old man's whore's child. I didn't let it bother me but I hated my half-brother as he was a whore. As my dad called him following in our mothers footsteps. Mom became depressed and we ended up in a falling apart home that really could be barely called a home. She tried her best to take care of us even though she would usually spend hours crying when she thought me or my half-brother wouldn't know. Then one day when she was told to get anti-depressants she went to do so. She got hit on by a man there but rejected him. He got angry and instead of giving her what she needed he added some poison to the pills. She died that way and L caught the man. Turns out every time someone who he hits on rejects him and have prescriptions he adds poison to them to kill them. My half-brother ran off and my dad rejected taking custody for me saying I was no son of his so after I showed how smart I was that's when I was sent to Whammys. I was maybe only eight or so at the time." Mello explains.

"Wow that must have sucked." Near says as he had been watching Mello and listening the whole time.

Mello shrugs. "It doesn't bother me." He admits.

There's a roar in the distance that makes them both turn in the direction they think they heard it come from.

"We should probably get moving." Mello says.

Near nods. "Yeah."

And so they make sure they have everything and that the fire is out before they begin walking away from where they heard the roar hoping to not run into any beasts.

Else where…

Allen and Matt have decided on a way to go and they are now walking side by side looking around themselves trying to find something, anything to help them.

"Is this all a lost cause?" Matt begins to wonder as he brings a hand up to slightly on the back of his head.

Allen glances to Matt. "Hey come on. Don't just give up." He says. "Not now and not ever." He slightly shakes his head to emphasize his point.

Matt looks to Allen then the two share a smile. He lowers his hand down to his side and nods. "Ok." He agrees.

They continue walking as they idly chit chat while they walk trying to figure out where they are and if they can find Mello and or Near.

Matt brings his arms to slightly crossed behind his head in a relaxed position as he finds the silence comforting. He glances to the side and notices a shadow that makes him stop and half way put his arms down.

The shadow seems tall on the wall of the alley as it moves as if peering around something almost like it's looking at them then it turns and jogs away disappearing deeper into the alley way.

Allen stops and turns back to Matt as he notices the other stopped.

Matt blinks then with his arms fully at his sides only to raise them to jog he heads after the shadow.

"Hey wait!" Allen calls out reaching towards the red head. He slightly brings his hand back to him only to sigh then follow after Matt. "What's gotten into him?" He wonders to himself as he follows Matt seeing him turn corners just as Allen himself turns the earlier corner. "Hey! Matt!" He calls out to the other as they continue running.

AN:

And done for this chapter.

Merry Christmas!

Thank you my wonderful reviewers who I hope will continue to review.

Reviews bring cookies and flamers will be used to cook the cookies.

Mello.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter fourteen:

Matt swears he sees a glimpse of what he is chasing and he tries to pick up the pace as he continues running but then stops at a four way direction place of the alley.

Allen catches up to Matt panting slightly. "What's gotten into you?"

Matt glances to Allen then looks around trying to figure out where to go. "I….. I thought I saw Near." He says a little softly. "But maybe I was mistaken and the shadow only looked like him because I wanted to have my friends back…." He lowers his head closing his eyes in sadness. "I want to know that they're ok….. That they are alive…. Anything…. I just want to know."

Allen looks sympathetic at Matt then goes over and puts an arm around the red heads shoulders. "It's ok Matt." He says as the other turns to look to him. "I understand that you're worried about your friends. I'm sure we'll find them and that they'll be ok."

Matt glances away again. "But Near's hurt." He says a little softly.

Nether notice a smirking figure secretly watching them then the figure leaves.

Elsewhere…

Mello and Near have been walking for a little bit and are nowhere closer to finding out which way to go to get out.

Mello groans in annoyance as they continue. "Fuck. This almost seems like a lost cause." He grumbles.

"Don't give up Mello." Near says glancing to the blonde for a moment then glances away slightly brining a hand up to the area of one of his worst wounds that are bandaged but winces slightly when he tries to touch it.

Mello glances to Near and notices this. "Near? You ok?" He asks.

Near lowers his hand with a small sigh. "My wounds are just stinging." He says.

Mello stops and Near does too turning to the blonde.

"Mello?"

Mello gently guides Near to sit on a log. "Let me take a look."

Near removes his shirt and puts it on his back pack that is sitting by the log beside Mello's back pack.

Mello notices some blood has soaked through. "We'll need to put new bandages on these. We can't risk an infection and new bandages should help with the pain." He says going into the backpacks grabbing the medical equipment.

"It's ok. I can stand it." Near says knowing how important their medical stuff when they can't restock while in the forest.

Mello snorts slightly. "I'm not taking chances of you getting an infection." He says as he gets ready to remove the bandages. "Just bear with me." He says.

Near nods and clenches his teeth tensing for the pain of removing the bandages.

Mello begins with the worst ones to get it out of the way.

Near hisses quietly in slight pain but doesn't complain as he lets Mello work.

The first one is off and Mello grabs the clean bandages wrapping up the wound.

He continues this for all of them until it's done.

Without much of a choice they burry the garbage.

"Thank you." Near sighs in a way that lets Mello know he's feeling better as he blonde packs the medical stuff.

Mello smiles. "Told you." He says.

"You did." Near gives him a smile back.

"We'll rest here for now." Mello says moving to sit next to Near.

"Ok." Near says and slightly leans against Mello.

Mello blinks not expecting that then he turns to his former rival who is no longer his rival.

Near closes his eyes letting himself relax.

This makes Mello smile a little at seeing the other looks so relaxed now after worrying that something was wrong when his wounds acted up.

Mello turns to the sky and blinks as he suddenly gets an idea. "Hey Near. I think…." He turns back to the other only to see the other is possibly asleep. He gently moves Near trying to not wake him if he is asleep. He then heads for the closest tree and begins climbing. He steps on a branch when he gets to a higher point only for it to break under him almost making him fall but he keeps his grip on the bigger thicker branch. He tries to pull himself up as he uses the trunk to try to gain some footing. He scrambles but manages to pull himself up only to rest for a moment panting a little. He looks down then looks up finding he still has a little to go. He starts to continue climbing.

Near in the meantime blinks open his eyes finding he is laying against the log and sees someone standing by him dressed in black like how Mello would wear back at Whammys. "Time to go Mello?" He says then sits up only when he looks ahead with the person in black standing diagonally behind him. He blinks only to widen his eyes as he sees a beast. He gasps and tries to scramble back. He glances to the direction he thought he saw Mello in…. only it's not Mello.

It's a teen wearing black and he has brown emo hair as his green eyes narrow only for him to release a growl.

Near looks around himself but can't find Mello. He starts to feel panic rise up in him as he has the log behind him, a beast blocking one way and a human under beast control blocking the other way. He grabs the two backpacks and as the beast moves closer he swings one backpack at the beast hitting it in the jaw.

The beast snarls and takes a step back shaking it's head.

"MELLO!" Near calls hoping the blonde is close by as he turns quickly scrambling over the log with the beast snapping at him just barely missing his foot.

Mello gets to the top and sees the town. "I see it!" He says happily.

"MELLO!"

Mello's eyes widen as he hears Near. He looks down and sees Near trying to escape a human in beast control and a beast. "Near!" He scrambles down as the beast and the human start climbing over the log as Near tries to run but finds behind himself is trees too thick to go through.

He ended up going to the place where the trees blocking the way are too thick.

Mello tries to get down faster as the beast and the human under the beast control begin advancing as Near is backed against the tree trunks with the two bags ready to use to hit them if needed.

Near glances to each side trying to calculate the best way to escape.

If he goes one way he risks getting caught by the beast with the other way being the same but with the human under the beast control.

Mello growls as the beast gets closer. "Don't you dare touch him!" He snarls jumping down and landing on the beasts shoulders.

The beast screeches and thrashes trying to get Mello off as Mello holds on for dear life.

"Mello!" Near is happy to see the other but also worried for him.

"Run Near!" Mello commands.

"Not without you!" Near calls back and turns to the human under the beast control that is advancing towards him with a smirk. "Oh no you don't." He swings one bag throwing the human into a rock top of the head first. He turns to the beast and sees Mello being thrown off only to hit a tree. "Mello!" He rushes over to the blonde.

"The cat's gone and took the salad." Mello slurs a little as Near crouches beside him.

"He's out of it." Near realizes out loud.

There's a roar and Near turns to it.

The beast is glaring pretty pissed off.

Near turns back to Mello. "Not much choice." He says as he quickly shifts Mello from being upside down to right side up. He then turns around doing his best to maneuver Mello onto his back. He finds he has to stay hunched over a little in order to carry the other. "No time for anything else." He begins running off into the woods away from the danger.

The beast lets out a horrible screech as Near hurries to retreat.

Near keeps running as he thinks they'll get away…. Until there is crashing sounds making him know that the beast is charging after him. He tries to pick up speed but finds he can't run as fast with Mello on his back though he figured as much. He keeps pushing himself as his wounds start to give him a little trouble. "Come on. I can do this." He tries to encourage himself.

Up ahead is a tree made archway with bright light blocking the sight on the other side.

He heads for it and the brightness takes over his sight for a moment. He finds himself in a nice clearing, like the one from Mello's dream, with four ways to go including the one backwards.

The beast roars indicating it's coming.

He rushes to the other archway straight ahead and goes through another blinding light for a second. He then blinks as he emerges out of the forest finding he's found what looks like a waste land with nothing but rocks and cliffs. He has to skid to a stop before he goes over a cliff accidently knocking a few rocks down to the long drop below. He is panting and is exhausted but as he glances back he can see the form of the beast approaching the archway as if trying to figure out which way he went. He only has a few seconds. He looks around himself trying to figure out where to go…. What to do.

AN:

Yay update!

And cliff-hanger. Sorry guys.

I promise I'll work on the next chapter ASAP.

Anyways thanks awesome reviewers and for everyone there is a little box for reviews. But Flamers will be used to make cake.

Mello.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter fifteen:

Near spots a small ledge pretty much under the cliff he is standing on. He quickly moves down then looks at the slightly thin path to the area, he needs to jump down to. He concentrates. "Here goes." He says and he jumps down landing managing to balance. He throws the two bags to the spot that is slightly under the cliff. He then slips Mello then himself into the hiding spot.

There is heavy steps as the beast comes out and obviously looks around.

Near waits as he quiets his breathing as the beast moves over to the cliff.

Mello who is still out of it speaks. "The French toast."

Near's eyes widen and his hand shoots forward to cover Mello's mouth as the blonde passes out.

But it's too late.

The beast makes some sort of gurgling noise then it moves closer to the edge.

'Crap.' Is all that's going through Nears mind right now as he waits to see if the beast will find them or not.

The beast lowers itself and it lowers it's head down looking at the thin path not noticing Near and Mello yet.

Near slightly holds his breath hoping that the beast won't look to them. His heart rings in his ears and the suspense is heavily hanging in the air like a heavily humid air. He tries to not focus completely on the beast to try to not alert it of his presence.

The beast makes a soft low grumbling gurgling mixture of a sound as it glances side to side.

Near waits as his heart rings a little louder in his ears.

The beast begins to turn and it's making Near sweat drop.

Elsewhere….

Allen puts a hand on Matt's shoulder. "It'll be ok. He has Mello." He reminds Matt. "I'm sure your friends and good enough to survive well."

Matt smiles softly then nods. "Yeah you're right." He says. "Thank you Allen."

"Don't worry about it." Allen responds. "Now let's find ourselves a store."

Matt nods and Allen takes the lead making his hand drop off of Matt's shoulder.

The two begin walking in the direction they decided just randomly to go. They spot a way out up ahead. They pick up the pace until they are running towards it. They burst out of the alley way finding themselves at a main street.

"We're free!" Matt cheers happily as he jumps up into the air fist pumping with one hand then doing a second jump with a fist pump with the other hand.

"And a store." Allen notes. "You running off actually helped us." He says glancing to Matt who stops his happy jumping.

"What?" The red head glances around. "Where?"

"Beside you." Allen says.

Matt blinks then turns to his right then to his left only to notice the store then. "Oh. That store." He says. "Let's go!" He races inside.

"Wait up!" Allen once again chases after Matt.

Meanwhile….

Near tenses as the beast's head is turning. He waits till he knows that the beast will spot them soon and they'll be trapped here. He glances to Mello then he gains new determination.

Wounds bugging him or not he has to do this.

He turns to the beast and quickly slips past the beast racing over to behind it. He stops and glances back.

The beast gets up from it's laying down position to a now standing one. It growls and begins to advance towards Near.

Near smirks and begins walking backwards. "That's right. Come and get me." He says then he suddenly trips over a tree root sticking out of the ground. He makes a surprised sound as he falls back. "Darn it. The forest was closer than I thought." His eyes widen as he hears the beast roar only to hear the beasts footsteps charging in his direction. "Crap!" He rolls and tries to scramble to his feet stumbling a little as he begins to run away from the beast. He is really pushing himself but it's for a good reason as Mello flashes in his mind. "I need to do this." He says to himself in a hushed whisper as he continues to run. He glances around himself. "I can't get lost in the forest. So that leaves…." He glances to a cliff. "Well here goes." He turns towards is as the beast nips at his heels. "Please work." He hopes out loud as he gets closer and closer to the cliff. He spares a glance behind himself only to notice the beast is a lot closer than he thought making his eyes widen. He turns back to the cliff as the beast is almost right behind him. He tries to pick up speed as the cliff gets every closer. He swallows harshly as he feels like his heart moved to his throat. "I can do this." He takes a deep breath and once he gets to the edge he skids to slow down then he tries to turn but the loose rocks fall making him fall too.

The beast tries to skid to a stop but it's going too fast and it too tumbles over the edge.

"No!" Near scrambles as he falls and he tries to reach for something, anything!, that'll help him. "No. I can't die like this." He reaches. "Almost got it…."

Back with Allen and Matt…..

The store is a mess showing that whoever was in here struggled trying to escape the beasts but more than likely they were trapped in the store so obviously they probably lost.

"Split up. Let's look for anything useful." Allen says.

Matt nods and the two split up. Matt looks for anything useful while Allen looks for any lighters.

"Aw bummer." Allen sighs. "This place has no lighters."

Matt is still searching for anything useful that is in one piece. His foot hits a broken camera and he glances to it.

The camera is shattered almost like glass or something.

He swallows harshly and he turns away to continue looking.

There is nothing in the store useful and they have enough food to last them for now.

"Darn. Nothing." Allen sighs.

"Speaking of food." Matt mummers and his stomach growls.

Allen smiles. "Alright. Lets hide behind the counter and eat."

Matt grins and nods happily.

Since there is food that survived and wasn't opened in the store they begin to eat that to save their backpack food for another time, as Allen puts some food into his back pack.

Today was an ok day for Allen and Matt.

The two find some nice blankets, one each is all that survived enough to be used, that they pull over themselves staying sitting behind the counter for now.

There is a few moments of awkward silence between them.

"So how long have you known the other two?" Allen asks.

"Quite a while." Matt responds. "But Mello and Near didn't get along until after we became what we believe to be the only survivors."

"Ah I see. Well as least they are getting along nicely." Allen says.

Matt smiles. "Yay. I'm sure that both of them, once warmed up to each other Mello more than Near needing to warm up to the other, knew they didn't need to hang onto the rivalry that was mostly on Mello's side then they saw each other in a new light."

The two chit chat for a bit just sitting there on the floor behind the counter.

AN:

Another cliffhanger sorry.

I hope you are enjoying so far and I thank my awesome reviewers.

Theres still the box down below for all those that want to review. Flamers will be used to make chicken!

Mello.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter sixteen:

Near's heart stops for a second but then he manages to grab a hold of the rocky wall that keeps the cliffs and land up. He clenches his teeth shutting his eyes tightly at the sting as his hands slide along the rocky wall until he stops managing to get a good grip. He opens one eye then the other finding he does have a good grip even as his hands sting. He is panting a little and he glances down only to see the unforgiving stone and rocky bottom is about halfway closer than before. He looks back up only to widen his eyes as he sees the beast falling. He presses himself against the wall and closes his eyes as he faces the wall trying to make sure the beast just goes past him.

But the beast has other ideas….. It grabs Nears leg making him gasp and almost slip but after a second of slightly scrambling for a good grip he gets his grip back.

He looks down to the beast as it starts to try to climb up him. His leg stings from where the beast gripped it to grab him then it doesn't hurt him more as it tries to climb up him. He begins slamming his foot into the beasts face trying to get it off of him.

The beast growls then tries to snap at his foot only for him to move it out of the way just in time.

He once again slams his foot down onto the beasts face as hard as he can.

The beast screeches and it ends up falling as Near's pant leg rips.

Near watches it fall down to the ground below and it lays there on it's back as if in shock. He looks back up the way he needs to go. "What am I? A magnet for trouble?" He wonders out loud. "Well I can say that." He starts to try to climb back up. "After all I did this one on my own with intents to get rid of the beast." He shrugs it off. "I'm not a magnet for trouble." He goes silent as he keeps climbing up. He finds a small ledge and crawls onto it sitting with his back against the rocky wall that continues behind it. He has to bring his legs close to his body to stay on the ledge. He takes a moment to catch his breath and look at his leg. "A few scrapes. I got lucky." He says with a sigh of relief. "They are only small and really aren't bleeding maybe a drop or two but that's it." He tilts his head back to look at the rest of the way up. "Well I should get going." He stands and turns to the wall. He starts climbing again and eventually makes it to the top. He grips his hands on the top part finding it much harder to grip the top part as it's more flat then the wall. His feet scramble as where he steps ends up being loose rocks and he isn't sure how much longer he can grip the top part for.

Suddenly a hand is offered down to him as there is a black sleeve that kind of looks like his usual shirt but in black.

He glances up and sees a wearing black and a cloak but the cloak is fluttering in the breeze even though it still masks the person identity. He takes the hand and the person helps him up. He gets up and their hands let go as he collapses to the ground laying there panting for a few moments. "Hey thanks." He says turning to the person as soon as he's mostly caught his breath. "Say whats…."

The person is gone.

Near blinks and wonders where the person went.

Suddenly his necklace has a small glimmer that starts at the outer edge only to swirl to the center only to glimmer again before disappearing.

He gasps as he raises his head and brings a hand so some of his fingertips touch the outer edge of the charm. "No way…. Could it be?" He looks around. "I can feel it…" He starts to get up and gets to his feet wincing as his leg stings for a moment. "The darkness passed down in my family." He says to himself then he blinks. "No…. It's gone now." He looks down to his necklace only to look back up again. "It's here. I know it. But where and will I be able to find it again?" He turns back to the cliff. "Mello!" He races over to where he left Mello and looks.

Sure enough Mello is still out cold.

Near hops down and grabs Mello as well as the backpacks then he moves them back to the clearing just within the forest finding it better for cover. He sets Mello down on a spot where the grass is pretty green so it'll be more comfortable. He then sets the backpacks down by a tree trunk then he plops to sitting himself with a sigh. He looks to his hands finding they're a little scraped up and dirty. He grabs a medical cloth and begins cleaning his hands as well as his leg. He buries the garbage having no choice and he changes into a new pair of pants before stuffing the pair he just changed out of into the bag. He goes over to Mello and crouches down beside him. "Let's check on you now." He says and slightly lifts Mello up to inspect the blonde for injuries.

Mello's P.O.V.

What?

Where am I?

I look around myself but my vision is weird with black around it only leaving a circle I can see through…. I almost feel like I am looking through a telescope of something that doesn't actually make things zoomed in.

I was doing something…

Then it hits me.

Near!

I look around myself but all is see is a dim red color that leads down to black almost like paint drips that made spikes. I seem to be just floating in this place with nothing but the red and black, the black being at the bottom that drops down into darkness.

How did I get here?

Huh?

I…. Smell something…. Something familiar….

Could it be?

I try to move but my body feels so heavy.

What the hell is going on!

I glare down at my body silently demanding it move as I seem to be unable to speak or make a sound.

Suddenly light from above is shining down on me.

I turn to it and I see what looks like a door opening shining light inside this dimly lit place also as I turn I swear I saw some bubbles appear almost like I'm underwater…. Which I could be for all I know. I manage to reach towards it.

Got to….. Get out…. Of….. Here!

I try and try to force my body towards it only managing to move a small bit at a time.

Come on. Come on! COME ON!

I mentally scream at myself as I continue to try to get to the light. I can see it getting closer and closer. I swear I can…. Almost…. Touch….. It… And as soon as I do the light flashes brightly blinding me for a moment. I have to shut my eyes tightly.

When I open them I find I am floating surrounded in white.

"It is time for you to awaken." A majestic female voice says and for a moment I swear I see an angel standing before me but I can't fully make it out. "I have brought you out of the depths that would keep you under. Now go. Awaken!"

After she says that a door opens with the sound coming from behind me.

I turn to it and all I can see is blackness on the other side. I turn back to what I'm sure is an angel.

"Go." She tells me and I think I see a smile. "Go and return. Hurry."

I nod determined and I quickly try to run but it's almost like what people would describe it as walking on the moon but with every step I take it appears lie I am walking on clouds as some of it jumps into the air only vanish. I take a step once I am almost at the door. I then leap towards it as it starts to slowly close. I end up flying right into it and I am falling into deep darkness. I manage to turn and watch as the door closes making it completely dark.

Next thing I know is that my eyes open finding myself with a headache as well as lying on my back and I see sunlight as well as tree tops like a clearing kind of pattern…. I think.

I smell some food and I try to sit up but my head is killing me. I bring a hand to my forehead closing my eyes tightly as I sit up. I blink my eyes half open as I feel a bandage there only wrapped twice around my head. I glance up but I can't see it. I look down and I notice that there is indeed the cooking contraption built as it is being used… Only I don't see Near right away. I glance around only for my eyes to widen in fear when I see him.

Near is leaning against a tree with his back to it as he seems to be sitting in a hunched position that I can still see his face for the most part. He has roots on either side of him from the tree as if to be snuggled in.

I don't see a cut on his throat but it's still scaring me. "Near!" I rush over to him and I find I have to pretty much crawl and stumble to reach him as my body is still a little waking up. I kneel in front of him and a little hesitantly start to reach towards him fearing my worst fear is going to come true and that he'll be dead. "Near?"

AN:

Happy new years!

I hope everyone is doing good and I hope you are still enjoying the story!

Awesome readers and reviewers there is a box for more reviews down below. Flamers will be used to make cake!

Mello.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter seventeen:

I perk up when I hear a groan.

Near shifts and raises his head to look to me his eyes half open looking tired. "Mello?"

I am almost to the point of tears I am so happy and relieved. I hug him a little tightly.

He turns to me giving me a questioningly look. "Mello?"

"I thought I lost you." I say. "You scared me."

He pauses for a moment then hugs me back. "It's ok. I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere." He says comfortingly.

I pull him closer, if that's even possible, and I let a tear or two escape. "I'm just glad you're ok and alive." I say.

"I must have just accidently fallen asleep." He tells me.

I pull away keeping my hands on his shoudlers and glance around taking in our surroundings. "How'd we get here?"

"You were out of it so I had to carry you since the beast was chasing us." He informs me.

I turn to him slightly wide eyed. "You carried me here?"

He nods.

I bring one hand up to run through me hair. "Fuck. No wonder you're tired."

He laughs quietly. "Ah the typical Mello is back."

I give him a half playful glare. "Well just wait till I'm carrying you." I tease him.

He gives me a smile and I can't help but smile back.

"Now what is it that you're cooking?" I glance to behind myself to where the cooking is going on.

"Oh shit. I forgot about it." He quickly moves, with a small stumble getting up so fast but he makes it without hurting himself. He checks it and relaxes. "Well we won't be eating burnt food." He sighs softly. "The stew should be ready soon." He goes back to cooking.

"Need help?" I move closer to him.

"Could you find what drinks we have?" He nods to the backpacks of ours leaning against the tree. "I believe it's just water but I could be wrong." He asks.

"Ok sure." I go to check.

No one's P.O.V.

Someone sitting on a branch with one hand on the trunk watches the two from the persons position in the tree. The person turns away only to get up, turn away and hop from tree to tree.

Near turns hearing rustling of leaves. "Hey Mello? You hear that?"

"Hm?" Mello glances up and listens.

There's the rustle of leaves but it sounds like it's getting further away.

"Whatever it is it's heading away from us." Mello says going back to what he's doing. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Yeah." Near agrees and turns back to the cooking. "It's almost ready." He informs the other.

"Good." Mello licks his lips. "Then we can eat!"

Meanwhile….

Beasts, these include those who are looking like humans but are actually beasts, gather around their boss listening to what their boss has to say.

The boss smirks. "Now you must remember what it is I have told you." The boss makes sure all the beasts can hear and understand as the boss speaks as clear as possible.

The other leader like one of the beasts growls.

The boss frowns with a roll of the eyes. "Fine. That we have told you."

The other looks satisfied.

The boss turns to some of the beasts. "We will soon have all the land as ours."

This makes the beast let out noises that sound like they can be of happiness some of the sounds are like hisses.

The boss smirks wide. "And soon we'll have the pests out of the way of our fame and glory."

The beasts once again make a noise of happiness.

The boss takes a few steps forward. "How has the hunt for them come along?"

A beast steps forward looking nervous. "Uh….. Boss well you see…."

The boss gains narrowed eyes. "Speak!"

The beast swallows harshly taking a few steps back in fright. "The one sent out to the forest…. Has yet to arrive."

"What?!" The boss growls looking quite angry.

The beast scrambles to behind one of the others only to peer out.

The boss spins to another beast. "Gather a group and head out there at once!"

The beast nods and begins to follow orders.

The boss turns away bringing the boss's own hands together like an evil person. "We cannot allow those pests to live for much longer. And it seems I'll only be able to fully rid of them if we send out our better forces possibly. However I'd like to see how this plays out first." The boss speaks to no one in a hushed tone. The boss then looks up. "I want patrols. We want to start looking at everyway to gain as much power as we can!" The boss declares arms raised. "WE WILL OWN THE WORLD!" The boss shouts out in a clear, strong and leader evil like voice.

The beasts make the best cheering noise they can.

The boss points down to them. "NOW GO! GO AND MAKE US PROUD!"

The beasts separate with the best cheering sounds they can manage as they head out to do as told.

The boss smirks as the boss and the other leader are the only ones left.

The boss laughs madly in a dark evil way head flung back and all.

The other leader joins in.

They want ultimate power and pests who have not succumb to their wishes but they plan on changing that as soon as possible.

With Near and Mello…

The two are now enjoying the stew and some water which is all they have.

"Near your cooking is amazing." Mello smiles as he continues to eat almost inhaling it and making sure to not speak with a mouth full. "As to be expected."

Near blushes softly and glances away. "It's really nothing Mello." He says as he too makes sure he doesn't talk with his mouth full.

Mello smiles looking to Near. "No need to be shy about it. I mean it when I say you're a wonderful cook. I actually wish you had done the cooking at Whammys."

The two share a small laugh about it then they continue eating.

Near pauses to talk, obviously making sure not to have a mouth full. "Thank you Mello."

Mello blinks looking to Near a little surprised. He swallows what's in his mouth then smiles. "I should be the one thanking you." He says and Near pauses to turn to the blonde. "I mean you carried me away while being chased by a beast. You saved my life."

"You did save me too. More than once." Near reminds him. "When we climbed the gate or when I was almost turned into a beast." He points out. "So I do believe that I am far from even being close to even being even with you at all."

Mello chuckles. "Aw Near. You don't have to get even." He smiles. "It's what friends do."

Near smiles too. "Friends….. I do like that Mello."

"Good." Mello responds. "Now eat up."

When they are done eating they make sure they have everything.

"So which way now?" Mello asks serious as he looks around.

"When I was carrying you being chased by the beast I found something." Near says and gestures for Mello to follow him as he heads to show Mello the land of rocks and cliffs.

"Hm?" Mello slightly raises an eyebrow as he watches Near questioningly then he follows the other. "What is it that you have found?" He questions.

AN:

Another chapter because pretty soon it'll be two thousand and fifteen.

I did my best even though I do have some alcohol in my system. I'm not sure it'll be a good idea for me to write much more until tomorrow when I am more sober so this may be it for chapters for tonight.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed.

Reviews bring smiles and flamers will be used to make muffins!

Mello.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter eighteen:

The two emerge from the woods and into the land of rocks and cliffs.

Mello blinks and glances around himself. "I didn't even think a place like this was even here." He admits.

"I didn't either. But apparently it does." Near agrees. "But apparently it's here." He says.

Mello nods and glances around. "Well it seems ok other than being a little more dangerous and less places to hide. He walks over to a cliff.

Near blinks as he watches wondering what it is Mello is doing though he has a good idea of what it is.

Mello peers over the edge looking around there. "That's a long way down." He says.

Near shivers as he remembers his fall down it that almost killed him. "Yes. Yes it is." He says and goes over to Mello but he tests the spot by the edge before standing there next to Mello. He wonders if the beast is still there so he looks down and looks for where about it landed. He doesn't see it so he wonders if it climbed up or is wandering down there somewhere.

Mello moves and sits on the edge with his feet dangling over the side. He turns to Near. "Come on. Come sit too." He pats the spot next to him.

Near cautiously moves and he checks the stability of the edge before cautiously sitting down with is legs over the edge. He relaxes his tense body when it doesn't cause him to fall.

Mello laughs. "You are fearful of the edge?!"

Near turns with a disapproving look. "Perhaps had you fallen off the edge once then you would understand." He states and looks away from Mello putting on his emotionless mask.

Mello stops laughing and looks to Near. "You feel over the edge?" He questions.

Near nods and brings his hands up to look at them. "Yeah. I was quite lucky to have been able to grab the wall just in time... As well as be able to kick that beast off me before I fell." He says almost softly.

Suddenly Mello grips his worst bringing the younger's hands over to him as the younger looks to the older.

Mello inspects Nears hands looking at the wounds there.

"It's ok." Near assures Mello. "I took good care of them. It'll be fine."

Mello looks to Nears face worried. "Did you get any other wounds?" He questions.

"Just some scrapes on my leg from when the beast grabbed me and tried to climb up me." Near responds bringing his legs up. "But it's ok. they aren't-"

Mello cuts him off. "Let me see." He moves over and lifts Nears pant legs until he finds what he's looking for. He confirms that the wounds are nothing serious before rolling the pant legs back down.

Near puts his legs back over the edge. "I told you that they weren't serious." He says.

"What the Hell were you doing that caused you to go over the edge?" Mello demands with a slight frown and in a tone letting Near know he has to tell Mello what happened.

"There's a ledge below a cliff. I got us there to hide from the beast. The beast was going to spot us as we hid though and if it did we'd be trapped." Near says glancing away.

"So you pulled the beast and you over the edge." Mello frowns in a disapproving way.

Near shakes his head. "I ran past it since it was peering down trying to find us. I got it to chase me away from where you were." He explains. "I wasn't going to be able to run for long and I knew it. So I did the one thing that I could do. I led the beast to the cliff and I tried to get away from the edge just in time to avoid going over the edge but tricking the beast too... But... The loose rocks fall making me fall too." He explains. "I managed to grab onto the wall."

"The beast grabbed you and you kicked him off. Then you climbed back up?" Mello guesses the rest.

Near nods. "Yeah." He says.

Mello hugs Near close.

Near gently hugs back. "It's ok. I'm still alive." He says to the other.

"I know but what you did was really risky. I almost lost you." Mello says.

"But you didn't." Near reminds him.

Mello pulls away and looks to Near's face. "What you did was really dangerous." He says sternly.

"I'm not a kid." Near says with a slight frown. "And I know it was dangerous but there wasn't any other choice." He says.

"You almost died!" Mello states.

"But I didn't." Near says.

"I don't want you to do anymore dangerous things." Mello tells him sternly.

Near slightly glares at Mello. "I am not a kid. I know very well how to take care of myself." He gets up. "Stop treating me like I can't do anything!" He turns and begins walking away.

Mello watches Near go for a moment or two then his mind actually processes what's happening. "Wait!" He calls out to the other.

Near doesn't even look back as he seems to stare at the ground.

Mello scrambles to his feet and starts to chase after the other. "Near! Wait!" He reaches towards the other as he races to try to stop the other.

Near just continues moving away.

Mello slightly stumbles but he manages to grab Near's shoulder. He swiftly regains his balance and turns Near to face him.

Near looks up to Mello with an emotionless mask on.

Mello runs his free hand through his hair then he puts said hand on Near's other shoulder. "Near look." He begins. "I didn't mean to make you feel like a child and like you can't do anything." He says watching Near's eyes. "I just…. I just really don't want to lose you."

Near is silent for a few moment.

"So I'm sorry." Mello adds still watching Near's eyes. He fears he really messed up this time as there is more silence between them.

"Just don't treat me like that again." Near says a little softly as he glances down.

Mello hugs him close. "Oh Near. I won't." He says.

Near slips out of his arms and goes back to the edge only to sit down again.

Mello turns to him feeling a little hurt but he can't blame Near for it as it's the blonde's own fault for how things turned out. He goes over and joins Near sitting on the edge. "You know I've been thinking." Mello begins.

Near's eyes flicker to the blonde and he reaches up twirling a strand of his hair.

Mello turns to look to Near. "What if we had a book." He says.

Near looks a little confused. "A book? I doubt it would be a good idea to carry one around since it'll end up be-"

Mello cuts him off. "No I mean that we write a book. As survivors about our adventure." He explains. "One so that way if we die before the defeat of the beasts then it might help someone else figure out how to stop them. Plus we won't be lost into forgotten time."

Near blinks then slightly glances away in thought for a moment. "It's an idea."

Mello smiles. "But you're not rejecting it." He says.

"Well either way we'll need to find our way back to town before we can even think about that." Near points out.

There's suddenly noise of a bunch of birds that makes them look to the woods.

There's a whole flock of them flying off into the air.

"That might mean danger." Mello says. "We should get going."

Near nods.

The move away from the edge and they get up.

"I believe that the way back is that way." Mello says nodding to their right.

And so they begin walking in that direction, walking a by the edge but a safe distance away, keeping alert for anything that might be dangerous for them.

Meanwhile….

Allen silently groans mentally and he slightly shakes his head only to blink open his eyes half way. He turns to glance to Matt only to see the other is asleep.

They both had accidently fallen asleep. They're extremely lucky no beast found them.

Then suddenly Allen hears something that makes his eyes widen slightly.

Someone or something else is in the store.

He cautiously and hesitantly peers over the counter only see the back of the beast. He swiftly drops back down into hiding kind of like you would see someone do in a show when they try to hide scared. He swallows harshly but stays silent as he lowers his arms to his sides. His eyes flicker to the red head. He reaches a hand to Matt's shoulder and shakes him awake.

Matt is about to groan but Allen slams a hand over the red heads mouth causing the red head to open his eyes only to look at Allen wanting to know what he's doing.

Allen lowers his hand to his side.

"Allen wha…" Matt opens his mouth to ask what's going on but Allen puts a finger to his own lips to say be quiet. He tilts his head then his eyes widen as he hears some beast noise. His heart sinks as he realizes why Allen woke him and told him to be quiet.

But he had spoken! Did the best hear them!? Were they going to get caught because of him!?

Matt certainly hopes not as he tries to keep himself calm.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter nineteen:

Matt and Allen's hearts are racing in fear and suspense as their quieted breathing picks up speed a little.

The beast is making a lot of noise as it looks around the store.

Matt feels a sneeze coming on and he tries to hold it back but fails and sneezes. He gives an apologetic look to Allen who gives him a slightly wide eyed look.

Out of nowhere some drool drops to the ground between the two that makes them look to it only to tilt their heads up to find the beast looming over them staring at them.

The two scramble to their feet and back away until they find their backs to the wall.

The beast begins to crawl over the counter with a growl.

Allen fumbles for the lighter opening it and lights it.

The beast growls as Allen waves the lighter at it making it back off.

The two swiftly make sure they have their bags then Allen maneuvers the beast so they quickly hop over the counter and run for the door as Allenlets the lighter's flame no longer be lit. They get outside only to find two other beasts who were wandering only to turn to the two males.

"RUN!" Matt hollers and runs off to the right with Allen hurrying after him as the beast in the store bursts through only to join the other two in the start of the chase.

Allen grips the lighter and he glances back to see the beasts are starting to gain on them. "Keep going." He says as he stops only to turn to the beasts. He lights the lighter making the beasts skid to a stop. He waves the lighter at them…. Then….. The lighter flickers out. His eyes widen as he tries to light it again but it won't.

The beasts start to advance again.

Allen looks wide eyed to the beasts then he turns to run as the beasts also pick up speed to chase him. He tries to dash but then one beast tackles him to the ground.

Matt looks over his shoulder and skids to a stop when he sees Allen is in trouble. "Allen!" He calls out in fear.

Allen glares at the beast and lets go of the lighter. "Not today." He says and pushes his body upwards as hard as he can.

The beast, caught off guard, goes up as well.

Allen scrambles out from under the beast and begins running towards Matt who also starts running again. "The lighter was out of fuel." He tells the red head. "We'll need to run and try to lose them."

Matt nods and glances back still fearful about the beasts then he turns back to where he is going.

They keep running and they are getting tired as they breath heavily and they end up finding a land of rocks and cliffs but they don't stop.

Matt glances back to see if the beasts are catching up then he suddenly slams into someone.

Both of them tumble to the ground.

Mello and Allen skid to a stop.

Matt groans and uses his hands on the ground to push himself up. He looks to the person under him only to find Near. "Ah. Sorry Near." He gets off the other letting him sit up. He then hugs him. "WE FOUND YOU GUYS!" He cheers.

Mello slightly glares at Matt for a moment before turning away as the two get up.

Matt gives Mello a knowing look since he noticed the glare.

"Uh guys." Allen speaks as he's caught his breath mostly. "We have a problem."

They look and find they are surrounded by six beasts with a sun starting to set. They back up only to stop as their heels almost go over the edge causing some rocks to go down that makes them glance to the drop for a moment before turning back to the beasts.

The beast are taking their time seeing as there seems to be no way of escape as the four stand in a line.

The line's order is Near, Mello, Matt then Allen.

"No one has a lighter or any kind of fire making thing?" Allen asks.

"What?" Mello raises an eyebrow at Allen.

"The beasts aren't flammable but they are scared of fire." Matt explains.

Mello nods to show he gets it now. "No. We didn't know that they were scared of fire so we don't have anything that will light a fire fast enough." He responds.

They all turn back to the beasts that are still a little slowly advancing.

"Now what?" Matt questions.

The beasts suddenly stop.

"Is this what its come to?" A voice like Near's speaks but it sounds darker. A dark figure appears with the setting sun behind him causing him to be in darkness at first until he speaks the next part he comes close enough to be revealed to the four of them. "You four are the survivors that I've been hearing about?" He looks like Near but…. Like an evil version…. Black clothes instead of white and practically everything about him seems to scream darkness or evil.

"You." Near says with a slight growl.

"What the hell?" Mello questions.

"I'll explain later." Near promises.

"Did you really think you could run forever?" The darker Near asks with a smirk and a hand on his hip. "Well think again." He chuckles darkly before continuing. "You have only two choices." He adds. "Either you fall over that cliff and die or you are taken down by us." He slightly hisses the final word.

"I don't think so." Near takes a step forward. "I'll take you down first." He says to the darker Near.

The darker Near chuckles amused. "Oh is that right? Well let's see you get past some members of my army first." He slightly glances back to the beasts. He gives some growling noises as if speaking to them in their language.

Then the beasts begin advancing towards them seemingly especially focused on Near.

Near takes a step back looking for a way through.

The other three also try to figure out a way past.

It's really the beasts or the fall and theirs is a big chance that at least not all of them are going to make it.

As the beasts continue to advance the four are trying to stay as far away as possible without falling as some more rocks fall down over the edge.

The air is tense and the knowledge that they might not make it sinks into the fours minds.

Then suddenly something small and round roll out between the four and the beasts but before anyone can do anything it explodes into smoke.

They all cough and try to wave the smoke away from them.

Then suddenly there is some being taken away by others.

Once the smoke clears darker Near and the beasts look only to find no one where the four used to be.

Darker Near narrows his eyes with a growl.

The four are gone!

He goes over to the edge and peers over it searching for them. He turns and growls commands in beast language.

The beast head off to do as told.

Darker Near looks around himself. "I will find you. You can't keep running forever." He growls.

AN:

End chapter there.

I believe I've held off on this part for long enough.

Things will be explained! Just be patient!

Anyways I hope you enjoyed and remember reviews are used for cookies with flamers being used to make fudge.

Mello.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter twenty:

"Thanks for saving us back there." Matt says as they sit facing the two that saved them now letting them relax a little in the cave they were brought to.

Though thanks to the smoke the four were a little busy taking a moment to recover to notice where they are going at first.

"It's no problem." The eldest of the two younger ones that saved the four says. She is still obvious younger than the four; she has ginger hair that goes to her jaw but is messily cut and looks like it is wind swept slightly like when you move back fast enough with most of the windswept being in the front. She has a black pirate hat with yellow lining on the edges, two pirate skulls on the flaps that seem to have been folded upwards like a true pirate hat and a blue feather sticking out of the right skull. She has dark grey fabric with a pirate skull each on her upper arms with the one on her right is closer to her elbow and the one on her left is closer to her shoulder. She is wearing a mahogany tightfitting tank top that if she was older it would show a little of her cleavage and the design is a faded in color red pirate skull. She has blood red pants what only have front pockets that are black. She has black tie up that go a little past her ankles boots that have a clipped closed pocket each on the outer side and a zipped up zipper on each inner side. "The names Kaori. I'm Pirate Captain Kaori!" She puffs out her chest slightly. Her amber eyes sparkle with mischief and her face lights up in pride when she says she's a pirate captain.

The other is a male who is younger than the female. He has sandy blonde hair pulled back into a small ponytail, slightly tan skin unlike the females more pale skin and he has turquoise eyes. He looks more shy. He is wearing dark purple shorts that go to his knees, light brown kid sneakers and a dark brown slightly baggy t-shirt. His eyes flicker to the others as he stays by the wall of the cave. He hasn't spoken a word.

Kaori gestures to the male. "And that is Igneous." She says. "He builds the smoke bombs but we are currently limited on them from limited stuff. I like to call him Iggy."

Igneous blushes slightly as Kaori says her nickname for him. "It's nice to meet you." He says a little quietly.

"We used bandanas and goggles to hep us through the smoke." Kaori says looking quite pleased as she gestures to the science like goggles and bandanas, one red and one black, by their small pile of stuff.

"I see." Near says. "Is it just you two?" He asks.

Kaori nods. "We've been wandering around for a while. You guys are the only other survivors we've found so far." She explains. "I doubt there is any others. Those beast must have turned everyone…. Like our parents…." She looks away sadly then about ten seconds later she perks up again. "Oh yeah. What's your names?" She asks looking back at the four.

The four are all thinking she might be bipolar.

"My names Matt." Matt says.

"Near."

"Mello."

"Allen."

They all introduce themselves.

Kaori smiles. "Yay! New friends!" She cheers.

After a little talking they have the younger ones get to bed for the night as it settles around them.

They have enough light through the moon since they don't have any firewood.

Near did most of the work getting them to bed as if he had a natural instinct motherly side he may not actually notice in himself.

Once the two are sleeping cuddling together then the four move to the cave entrance to try to not wake the younger ones as they talk.

"So what was that?" Mello asks Near as they sit in a kind of circle.

"Well when the explosion in my dad's lab not everyone was killed by the explosion alone. Me, my father and a few others were still alive. However the special darkness, that's passed down to each generation in my family as protectors of it, ended up somehow merging with my body in that explosion. It used my shadow to escape since I was young and didn't really know how to control it at the time. It took the form of the darker version of myself you saw." Near explains. "He attacked all those still alive but he told me that the war between me and him has only begun. He escaped after that leaving me alone. But in my father's dying breaths he gave me my necklace. The necklace is a special holding thing that it cannot escape from unlike if it merged with our bodies. It allows us easy control over it as we can release it if we want then put it back. Though it's quite easy for those that have done it at least once then like me who hasn't done it. I was tasked with finding this darker version of myself and to seal the darkness once again away into the necklace."

"How was he able to speak beast language?" Matt questions.

"He's a darkness." Near responds looking to Matt. "That's probably why he was able to pick up on the beasts language. He's not a normal human."

"Well we'll help you capture this darkness wherever we can." Allen says putting a hand on Near's shoulder as if for comfort.

Matt and Mello nod in agreement.

Near smiles softly. "Thank you." He says. "Now that we are all caught up on it. You guys should rest. I believe it's my turn for watch tonight."

Mello opens his mouth to protest because Near is hurt.

"It's ok." Near assures Mello. "I can handle it. I'll be fine."

The three others go and find a spot to sleep for the night.

Near stays sitting by the cave entrance and he glances back to the others as they sleep only to turn back to outside looking up at the sky. "I fear he may have been watching me from a distance from time to time and possible the others once he possibly saw me with them. He probably was the one that helped me up." He talks to himself in a hushed tone. His eyes flicker down. "I feel a little fearful he might be able to track me down and he might find us using me." He sighs softly after a moment of silence after speaking. "I will defeat him and seal him away." He vows like he has done more than once. "I cannot let him hurt the ones I care for. Not this time." He says determinedly.

The night is long and pretty quiet.

Near stays awake as he continues watching for any signs of danger.

Meanwhile….

"It's not my fault that they got away." Darker Near growls at the other leader. "But we won't have to worry. They can't keep running forever. Though there is one thing." He adds. "The white one, the one that looks like me. Is mine if we find them."

The other leader growls at darker Near.

Darker Near slightly rolls his. "Yeah yeah. We need to kill or turn them as soon as possible. But I plan to use the one's body to make myself stronger. That is why if we find them I want the white one to myself." He slightly turns away with a dark chuckle. "Once I take over his body then it will just be me and I'll truly be free with no worries." He smirks very darkly.

AN:

Wow. So many chapters so far. I wasn't sure it would last this long. I hope it's still interesting for you guys.

The pirate girl's looks only is a younger version of my pirate captain Ouran girl version of Kaoru with a more girl name. I drew it two or so years ago for one of my school binders. No I messed up on the arms a little making one part too skinny so I doubt I will post it anywhere so unless I say I have please don't ask just have fun getting the image in your head based off the description I gave you just an older version of the girl in this story only in appearance.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to see you next chapter when I post it.

Reviews bring smiles and flamers will be used to make cookies.

Mello.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter twenty one:

The sun began to rise and its sunbeams begin to dance along the floor slowly creeping forward towards the cave's entrance as Near watches.

He notices how the sun on the ground is almost like a painters paintbrush on the blank canvas.

Painting the space in new colors until the whole thing is different than what they started out with.

"Seeing the sun rise like this…." Near begins. "It's…." He glances upwards to the sky slowly being lit up as the sun rises. "It's quite nice." He says and a light breeze blows by for about a minute or two before calming down to stillness once again.

Things are silent for a little bit.

Matt yawns silently as he awakens. He shifts lifting his head glancing around before his eyes land on Near still keeping watch. He shifts and gets to his feet.

The sun is pretty much risen by now.

Matt walks over to Near and sits down on the ground beside where Near is sitting.

Near turns as he hears a loose rock shift as the red head settles.

"It's pretty quiet huh?" Matt speaks looking out of the cave to the outside of the cave.

Near turns to look outside as well. "Yeah it is." He agrees with a small nod.

"You know I'm not really sure if I told you this but I'm in a way kind of glad the beasts came." Matt says and this causes Near to turn back to him.

"Why?" Near asks.

"Think about it." Matt responds turning to Near. "If they hadn't come along we might not be working together. You, Me, Mello and those that have so far joined us along the way even if we don't have everyone who joined us." He explains. "We have each other and that is important." He smiles.

Near blinks then turns back to the cave entrance. "That is one thing to be grateful to the beasts for." He agrees.

Matt also turns to the cave entrance.

Suddenly there is a shadow that looks like Linda causing the two to jump to their feet.

The shadow almost looks like she's peering at or into something though they don't actually see her physically. She then turns and leaves.

"We need to get going." Near says a little quietly as if saying the words on the air as his exhale.

Matt nods with a small sound, almost like a grunt and hum mixed together, in agreement.

Near turns rushing over to their things thinking that they need to be fast but ends up turning to go help Matt wake the others when the red head moves towards the seeping others.

They can't be sure how easy it'll be to wake all of them and one doing it will take too much time.

Matt heads towards Mello and Near heads towards Allen.

Near kneels by Allen then reaches out to put a hand on the others shoulder. He gently shakes Allen. "Wake up." He says as he tries to get the other to awaken.

Allen slightly groans and shifts only to open his eyes half way that flicker up to Near.

"We need to get going." Near explains. "It's time to wake up."

Allen nods and sits up as Near goes to wake up some of the others.

The others that are awoken join until everyone is up.

"Alright." Mello says. "We'll make sure to split up all that we need. Don't make one person carry everything heavy."

The others nod and they begin to work to get ready for their journey making sure to split things evenly well as evenly as they can.

Once ready they head towards the cave entrance.

Mello and Matt peer out, each standing closer to opposite sides of the cave for coverage, glancing around for any sign of anyone.

Now with Mello in the lead they head out and begin to move away from the cave.

They let their newest members lead them back up along the rocky wall so they can head into town to get what they need.

Suddenly on an area where the rocky wall that's when something goes wrong.

Igneous slips as some loose rock crumble beneath him by the edge. He lets out a small scream of surprise and he slides down the slope trying to grip onto the rocky surface.

"IGNEOUS!" Kaori tries to rush out to help him but is held back by Allen. "NO!"

Igneous's bottom half slides over the slopes edge and he tries to scramble back up since he has a grip but he's slipping.

"Mello. We need to form a chain." Near says as they don't even think about their bags.

Mello nods.

The two join hands and Near cautiously begins to move down the slope.

Near tries to reach Igneous but the chain isn't long enough.

Matt joins hands with Mello's free and the blonde carefully moves down to make it longer.

Near also cautiously moves and he once again tries to reach for Igneous but it's not far enough.

"Stay away from the edge and trust us to grab him." Allen tells Kaori then he goes to help. He links hands with Matt's free hand then Matt cautiously moves down onto the slope letting Mello and Near cautiously move lower.

Near can almost reach Igneous. He reaches as far as he can testing the limits but being cautious at the same time. "Igneous! Reach!" He calls to the other.

Igneous lets go with one hand then reaches towards Near with wide scared eyes. "Help me." He says a little quietly in a scared voice.

"It's ok." Near gives him a gentle look. "Just don't let yourself fall and keep reaching towards me." He tries to shuffle a little more down as he tries to reach further. "It's going to be ok. You just need to keep reaching and grab my hand."

Igneous nods still fearful and he tries to scramble up even just a little more trying to reach for Near.

Near keeps reaching as the two strain since their fingertips are so close to touching.

Mello turns to Matt and Allen. "Can we move further down?" He asks.

"I think so." Allen says shifting onto the slope and grabs a rock to use to help pull them back up after quickly making sure it's stable.

The other three move down and Near almost has it…

Just a little more…..

Near tries to shuffle down just a little more and he almost has Igneous…..

Then finally with one last strain the two's hands join.

Igneous's eyes flash with relief and Near helps him back onto the slope.

Allen pulls himself back onto the more level ground and he pulls up Matt who then pulls up Mello who pulls up Near and Igneous.

Near keeps Igneous close and they make it to level ground.

Igneous is shaking from his horrifying experience but Near holds him comfortingly.

Kaori runs over and looks Igneous over for any bad wounds.

"It's ok. You're safe now." Near says comfortingly.

Kaori rushes to all of them giving them hugs and big thank yous saying they are from both her and Igneous.

"You're good with kids Near." Matt comments.

Near turns to him and Matt gives a warm smile.

As Igneous calms down the group once again gets going this time staying further away from the edge.

As they walk they come closer and closer to the town.

They reach it and Near takes the lead from there.

As they walk Matt notices something that causes him to stop and turn to the direction he noticed something in.

He suddenly dashes off in that direction.

"Matt!" Mello shouts.

The others chase after Matt calling him to come back.

Until they get to the building…..

AN:

I worked on this a little sick and tired so hopefully it's good.

It's school and exams so hopefully I'll be able to post soon again but if I'm gone for a little bit then it's because of exams.

Anyways hope you enjoyed and reviews are awesome.

I hope you continue to read.

Reviews are awesome and flamers will be used to make chicken!

Mello.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter twenty two:

Whammy's house orphanage.

The three from there stop and look at it.

The place looks to be in ruins but it is still a building.

"I thought I saw the path to here." Matt says.

"What is this place?" Kaori wonders out loud.

"To think that this place used to be so grand looking…. Now it is almost like it was never inhabited." Matt says with an exhale of surprise.

Kaori looks to the sign.

It's dirty and so Allen cleans it enough for them to read.

"Whammy's house orphanage." Allen reads out loud.

"It's where we used to live." Matt says glancing back as Mello and Near start walking towards the orphanage.

The gate happens to be destroyed enough for them to slip past without having to climb it.

"You guys are orphans?!" Kaori gasps.

Matt nods. "Yeah." He says then goes to catch up with the other two.

The others follow but are obviously feeling sorry for the three orphans.

The door now creaks as Mello opens it.

They head inside and take a look around themselves.

This once magnificent place…. Now reduced to ruins that still hold the look of what it once was.

The three orphans can see the building how it truly was from even where the others would most likely be hanging out.

"It almost seems like it was all yesterday…. Yet you look around here and it makes it almost feel like it's been years." Mello says almost in a gasp.

"It's been abandoned for a good while." Near says twirling his hair. "But yes it almost feels like it was all yesterday yet so long ago." He agrees.

"I wonder if everything is as old looking." Matt races towards the bedroom area. He enters his room to find that though there has been at least some damage to pretty much the whole building there is still his gaming systems. "Sweet mother of electricity." He says and he rushes in feeling like he's in heaven as he races around almost like a little kid in a candy store unsure of where to even start. He is soon sitting down just like he used to before the beasts and is once again indulging himself into his electronic gaming system. He feels like that heavy need inside of him has finally been filled.

The others had went to look around and check things out if they have a specific want to check something.

After all for the three orphans there is so many memories from when they first arrived all the way to them escaping the beasts in this place.

Matt is able to play his games for a good little bit but doesn't notice the shadow fall over him as someone walks up behind him silent.

The figure is looking down at Matt and is moving closer and closer but not bending down yet.

Matt finishes the game and cheers throwing his arms into the air with one holding the controller giving a 'wha-hoo!' only to freeze as he notices the shadow over him. He turns shakily and a little slowly only to come face to face with a dark figure. He jumps away with a scream of fright.

Mello bends over and slightly glares at Matt though now the red head can actually see that it is Mello. "What the hell are you doing?" He asks.

Matt relaxes seeing it's Mello. "You scared me!" He sighs after speaking then speaks again. "Anyways I couldn't help it. I needed to play some video games. I just had to."

Mello sighs and straightens to his normal standing position closing his eyes for a moment. "Typical." He sighs softly. "Anyways it might be dangerous to stay here too long. Don't forget the beasts are still out there." He warns.

Matt nods and does a salute. "Yes sir!"

Mello slightly rolls his eyes then begins to walk out. "Just wrap up your stuff." He says as he leaves.

"Yes sir!" Matt says once again.

Near is walking along the hallway close to the playroom when he suddenly hears a floor board creek. He pauses wondering if it was just him or not so he glances back but sees no one. He looks around but still no signs of anyone. He cautiously continues on to look around staying on high alert.

Kaori and Igneous are checking out the common room and they think they see movement in the broken window that makes them spin around but there's nothing there making them move closer to each other though if they were older they would have wondered if it was just them in the window.

Allen is hovering in the area that Igneous and Kaori are in. He thinks he sees something

Mello on the other hand is walking down a hall with now abandoned bedrooms that technically became abandoned when the people of the orphanage were killed, turned or had escaped.

Something comes up behind him and it isn't long before Mello notices.

Mello turns to see who or what has come up behind him.

Looming over him is a beast that looks ready to make Mello it's lunch.

Mello moves quickly and just as the beast reaches for him he slips past racing to the way out of the hall. "MATT GET OUT OF HERE! EVERYONE GET OUT!" He shouts out loudly hoping everyone can hear.

Matt pokes his head out just after the beast runs past. His eyes widen and he waits for the beast is out of sight then he runs to get to the front lobby.

Mello keeps running and sees the front lobby where the others are hurrying over to.

"We heard screaming is everything... Alright..." Kaori finishes quietly and her eyes widen a little as the beast comes into view.

Matt rushes past it to join the others.

"Get out of here!" Mello orders and the group turns rushing out the door as fast as they can.

The beast roars pausing for a second to do so then it too follows the group out the door.

The group keeps running and get out of the gates but then Mellos pant leg gets caught making him fall over with a cry of surprise. The others stop and turn only to see that Mello is caught.

"Mello!" Near rushes back crouching down and helps Mello get unstuck then they keep going. He glances to the side and sees more beasts coming.

Mello hasn't noticed them yet.

The beasts are getting closer and closer making Near know there isn't enough time to warn Mello and that the others who are waiting for them are far enough they aren't in as much danger.

Near turns back to Mello. "I'm sorry. Please don't blame yourself." He says.

"Huh?" Mello glances over his shoulder that is opposite to where the beasts are coming from. "What was that Near?"

Suddenly Near shoves Mello away making him stumble forward a good distance.

Mello turns to snap at the other only to have his eyes widen as Nears leg is grabbed causing him to fall. "NEAR!" He screams and tries to stop the beast dragging Near towards the group of other beasts.

"GO!" Near shouts. "SAVE YOURSELVES!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!" Mello shouts back.

The group of other beasts are ready to grab Mello as well as the rest of the survivors group who is running to help.

"We have no choice." Allen says to Matt. "There's too many."

Near looks pleadingly to Mello. "Please. Go." He says.

Mellos eyes become a little watery but he remains determined. "No. I'm not leaving you." He repeats sternly.

Near shakes his head. "Don't worry about me. Just get out of here."

The beasts start to move to surround Near.

"NO!" Mello screams but suddenly Allen grabs the blonde and works to drag him away from Near and the beasts. "LET GO OF ME!" He growls and screams at Allen who is fighting against his struggles to drag him away. "WE CAN'T LEAVE HIM!"

Matt knows it's too late as they can no longer see Near. He helps Allen pull Mello away as the blonde continues to struggle.

"NO!" Mello screams again as tears fall down his face in waterfalls. "NO!"

"Let's go." Allen commands to Kaori and Igneous.

They continue moving away as fast as they can.

Mello continues to struggle now somehow managed to move the position so he's practically over Matts shoulder. He desperately reaches to the direction where Near and the beasts are. "NEAR!" He screams the others name as tears continue to fall down his face. "NEAR!" He throws his head back with a screams as he is practically dragged away.

Meanwhile...

The beasts are getting Near in position for the turning into one of them.

Who said the beasts were actually intelligent? Since it would have been better to have at least one chase those that got away.

They are about to start but that's as far as they get when a sharp command cuts through.

"Stop. We need him alive."

The beasts stop their about to turn Near to one of them and instead one holds Near so he can't escape even as he tries to struggle.

Near glares around himself at every enemy there.

The one that had given the command comes over standing in front of Near looking at the boy with a dark chuckle and growing smirk.

AN:

Exams are done for now!

This was originally written on my phone but I tried to catch any mistakes.

Hope you guys enjoyed anyways.

Reviews are awesome and flamers will be used to make poutine.

Mello.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter twenty three:

Mello weakly struggles as he continues to be dragged away. "No!" His hoarse voice from screaming so much. "No! We have to go back for him!" His tears are still heavily flowing and finally he slumps now exhausted from his struggles but his crying is still heavy. "We can't leave him..." He sobs.

They make it to a very small cave that is more like just a space that seems like a cave but leads nowhere.

Matt and Allen let go of Mello who falls to his hands and knees sobbing.

Though Mello seems to be the most affected the others are still having their own feelings of loss.

Allen ushers Igneous and Kaori towards the back of the cave like place as Mello and Matt sit closer to the entrance. "Let's them be at the moment." He tells the two he ushered back. "Give them a little space for right now."

"Wha-What will happen to him?" Igneous asks.

Allen hesitates. He doesn't want tell them since they are so young so it could scar them probably worse than already since the beasts are like monsters from a horror movie. He turns away remaining silent.

Kaori moves over and hugs Igneous.

Mello is sitting by a wall with his knees up as he sobs crying into his arms places over his knees.

Matt is sitting a little ways apart from the blonde as tears also stream down his face. His eye are cast downward to the ground.

"It's all my fault." Mellos hoarse voice suddenly speaks as he slightly raises his head but his face is still cast downwards. "If I hadn't gotten caught on the gate then... Then..." He shuts his eyes tightly. "The Near would still be here!" His face falls back into his arms sobbing again. His tears are not heavy as before and he'll probably be dehydrated soon.

"Mello." Matt begins and looks to the blonde. He sniffles but before he can speak Mellos head whips up to look to him with a glare... A glare that seems to have lost its real life it used to hold... Now it seems like it's empty with sadness and a little anger but it just seems so lifeless especially if you've been glared at by Mello before.

"It's my fault!" Mello slightly snaps at Matt. "It's my fault and you know it!"

"Mello. Please. I'm sure-" Matt tries again as his tears eyes watch Mello. He is interrupted though.

"No!" Mello suddenly gets up and heads towards outside.

Matt scrambles to his feet. "Mello! Wait! Stop!" He rushes over around Mello to face him putting his hands on the blondes shoulders causing the blonde to stop. He stares at Mello as best he can through his tears eyes. "Mello." He says sadly and sympathetically as he lowers one hand to his side.

Mello suddenly uses one of his arms to knock Matts other hand off of his shoulder. His eyes cast downward covered by shadows cast from his bangs. "Leave me alone." He says and slightly pushes past Matt heading outside.

Matt turns and tearfully watches his friend go outside. He wants to follow but he knows better than to just follow Mello all the time. He knows Mello needs a moment. He turns away and sits on the ground again.

A little later Allen is trying to keep the younger two busy since there is little doubt that they all won't be getting a good amount of sleep tonight when it rolls around.

Matt gets up and heads over to the way outside. His eyes bone dry of tears because he cried so much. He peers out glancing to look for Mello. He sees the blonde sitting just a little off to the side on a rock.

Mello has his elbows on the upper part of his knees, hands linked in a position almost as if he just pretty much let them flop down. His head is down and all Matt can see of the blondes face is that of Mellos frown well the half he can see from looking on the side; especially since Mello has shadows from his bangs covering his eyes.

"Mello?" Matt speaks and steps outside putting a hand on the wall on the area that is the turn between the cave like place and the outside wall.

Mello doesn't answer but slightly turns his head away from Matt.

Matt is about to take another step closer.

"Go away Matt." Mellos lifeless and quite defeated voice says.

"Mello. Look." Matt says but Mello slightly turns away again to show he isn't interested. The red head sighs and looks down. "You think you're the only one that's suffering because of this?" He spares a final glance to the blonde then turns away looking down as he goes back into the cave.

Mello turns his head to watch Matt leave. He waits a few moments after Matt leaves his sights then he gets to his feet walking over to the entrance. He peers inside and sees Matt finding a spot to sit with his head down as well as that Allen is trying to get the younger twos minds off the situation.

But everyone can feel it... This heavy weight of sadness hanging over them like a storm waiting to pounce to play with it's new toys.

Mello watches them for a few moments then as thunder rumbles he turns away turning to the approaching storm. He stares at them for a bit then he goes back to sitting on the rock like he was doing before.

The storm quickly approaches and soon the rain begins following the thunder and lightning.

Mello doesn't move as he is rained on but before he gets too wet he gets up moving to into the cave like place to stay dry. He sits down as close as he can to the entrance without getting more wet.

The thunder and lightning may still be there but to Mello it all has disappeared as far as he is concerned.

Allen managed to get the two younger ones to sleep at least go into a light kind of sleep.

Matt gets up and goes over to Mello. He sits next to the blonde. "How are you doing?" He asks.

Mello ever since he went back to sitting on the rock again hasn't let his eyes come out of the darkness cast by his bangs, not even now. "How do you think?" He asks with a depressed sigh following how words.

"I know it's hard." Matt says. "But Near wouldn't have wanted-"

Mello clenches his teeth. "Forget it Matt. It's all my fault this happened." He almost snaps at the red head while still keeping his eyes under the shadows cast from his bangs.

"Please just listen to me." Matt says as the blonde goes silent. "It wasn't your fault. You did all you could. It was just bad luck. Near knows that and he would want you to continue fighting."

Mellos head slightly lowers a little more.

"Mello." Matt reaches over to grip the blondes chin but said blonde slaps his hand away. He gives a determined look and grabs Mellos one hand then uses his own other hand to grip Mellos chin enough to allow him to get the blonde to look at him. His heart sinks, even further than it is already from what happened to Near, when he looks into Mellos eyes.

Mello's eyes are dull, lifeless looking and depressed... It's like he lost all of his fight. He blames himself for it all and it'll be difficult to talk him out of it.

Allen comes over as Mello rips himself out of Matts grip turning away again like before. "Matt." He says the others name a little quietly.

Matt turns to Allen who gestures for the red head to come with him.

"We should make sure we have water." Allen says.

Matt can tell that there is more than what Allen is saying. "Yes." He agrees getting up. He glances to Mello worriedly then he goes with Allen.

The two take all the water containers that need more water and head to go put them out to collect rain water.

As they are putting the containers out Allen speaks only loud enough for Matt to hear.

"You know I've been thinking." Allen says. "I wanted to talk to you before I said anything but I think it's possible Near is still alive."

Matt pauses and turns to Allen. "No. The beasts would have killed or turned him the first chance the got. It's who they are." He says as he turns away to continue what he was doing.

"And what about darker Near?" Allen questions pausing in His work turning to the red head. "Don't you think it's possible that he needs Near for something?" He asks.

Matt pauses just as he let go of the final container he needs to put out. He turns to Allen looking right at the other who is staring back.

The silence looms heavily over them until Matt speaks.

"It's possible." He agrees.

They finish what they were doing then head back into the cave.

Mello doesn't seem to have noticed that they did anything at all.

Matt glances to Allen who nods in Mellos direction.

Allen moves over closer to Kaori and Igneous trusting Matt to be able to do it.

Matt turns to Mello and goes over to the blonde. "Mello."

Mello doesn't even look to Matt like he hasn't noticed the others presence.

Matt sighs softly. "You know what. You should get some rest." He gently guides Mello to his feet.

The blonde follows like a puppet would to its master as Matt gets him to a more comfortable spot in which he gets the blonde to lay down in.

"I'll tell you in the morning." Matt says mostly to himself as Mello still doesn't respond. The red head shares a worried look with Allen.

Mello ends up passing out rather than falling asleep.

Matt is sitting by the wall with his knees up that have his arms around his knees as he watches the blonde for a few minutes only to sigh closing his eyes and tilting his head downwards.

Allen is laying down on his side between Mello and the younger two watching Matt as he uses one of his own arms as a pillow. "I'm sure by morning it'll be alright." He says to the red head.

"Maybe." Matt sighs then opens his eyes half way. "I really hope that we are right and that Near really is alive." He adds.

Allen sits up slightly. "Well darker Near most likely has a plan to use him. If we can find out where the beasts and darker Near is holding Near as quick as possible we have a better chance of finding him alive."

Matts eyes flicker to Allen as he speaks then he glances away again to a spot between Mello and the entrance to the outside. "Yeah." He says then his eyes lift to the entrance. "The containers should be filled. I'll got get them." He gets up and heads over to where they have the containers. "It's ok. I'll watch tonight." He adds.

"Are you sure?" Allen asks. "I mean. I could stay up if you just wanted some time."

Matt glances back to Allen. "I won't be able to sleep, Mellos lucky he passed out, and besides I'll keep my eyes open as well as that it'll give me some time."

Allen is about to speak again in protest but Matt gives a slightly small assuring smile and tells him to not worry about it. "Ok. But if you feel like you can't do then wake me." He says as he settles down as Matt puts the containers away.

"Will do." Matt nods then finds a place to sit to be on watch.

Mellos P.O.V.

Near fills all of my senses as, when and how I managed to pass out I have no idea, I find myself in the world of unconsciousness.

Then I smell something... Food?

It's a little different than when Near cooks but... Could it be?

I begin to awaken and as my eyes scrunch up then blink open to half way I see the cooking stand cooking something. I push myself up so fast I almost faint.

Near!? Was it all a dream? Where is he? Is he the one cooking?

I look around trying to locate him.

AN:

Once again a chapter written on my phone.

Mistakes I tried to catch and I think I caught at least the majority.

Hope you enjoyed anyways.

Reviews are awesome and flamers will be used to make cake.

Mello.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter twenty four:

I get up wandering if maybe he's outside. I head towards the entrance and once I step outside I look around.

There's Kaori, Igneous, Allen and Matt... But no Near.

Kaori and Igneous are running around playing.

Allen and Matt are siting by the outer wall of the cave like place I was in. They are talking but they pause to turn to me as they hear me exit the cave like place.

"Morning Mello." Matt greets.

I turn to fully face him. "Where's Near?" I question.

Matts eyes flicker down then he looks away from me. "I'm sorry Mello." He says softly but loud enough for me to hear.

I blink as fear rises up in me.

No this has to be a dream... Nears here... Right?

"But... He has to be here..." I look to Kaori and Igneous. "If not then who's cooking?"

Suddenly Matt scrambles to his feet. "Shit! I forgot about that!" He races back into the cave like place.

My heart sinks.

No ones P.O.V.

Mello looks down with his whole body facing the direction Kaori and Igneous are in. His eyes get a little watery and begin to fill with depression as the spark of hope dies away to nothing drowning to death in the sorrow now filling him.

Allen decides they can't wait any longer. "Mello..."

The blonde barely acknowledges Allen's presence but he's listening enough that Allen continues.

"There is something me and Matt were holding back on telling you. But I think we've waited long enough." Allen says and his words make Mello turn to him curious. He gets to his feet and turns to Mello looking into his eyes. "Me and Matt believe Near may still be alive." He says. "We have belief that the beasts haven't turned him or killed him yet."

"Why do you think that? If he was alive it would pose a threat to them." Mello says a little confused.

"Mello... Darker Near probably needs Near for something." He says.

Then it clicks in Mellos mind.

Yes. There's the chance Near is being kept alive because darker Near might need him for something.

The spark of hope returns to Mellos eyes igniting the flame of determination inside of him.

"Then we will find him." The blonde says. "No matter what it takes." He brings a hand up to chest level with his elbow bent and clenches his hand into a fist bringing it till it's almost touching his chest as a sign of determination. "We can still save him!"

Allen smiles seeing Mello look brighter than when he was all sad and depressed.

Soon the group eats, the food is a little burnt and pales in comparison to how well Near can cook, then they pack up and are heading out to town.

It's most likely that the beasts home base is somewhere close to where the first one was created.

They hang back for a moment to peer into town to cautiously look to see if there is any beasts there as far as they can see.

"Clear." Mello takes the lead heading inside town to grab some lighters and other such things as well as find out where Near is.

Meanwhile...

"Soon the time will arrive and we will no longer need to wait." Someone says. "We have been patient and watched the enemy as well as testing them." The person turns to the others who he had his back to moments before. "Now." He says. "I want no slaking off from anyone. We cannot afford to lose this battle." He gives a stern look. "Do I make myself clear."

All of the others nod in agreement.

"If it comes to it that not all of us make it back alive then so be it." The male continues. "Any who will die will be doing so in what is needed to be done."

The others cheer.

"Now prepare. I will alert you when it is time." The male commands and the group dissipates to different areas chatting with others going their way. The male watches them go then heads off to a room where none of the others went to. He pushes open the doors as he walks in with the doors closing behind him. He stops just the right distance as to not get hit by the doors. He looks up to something there in the room. "Soon. I promise soon."

Nears P.O.V.

It's almost like there is a heavy darkness looming over me….

_Drip. _

What is that?

_Drop._

Why can't I raise my head?

_Drip._

Where is that sound coming from?

_Drop. _

What's dripping?

_Drip._

I finally am able to open my eyes but only half way.

_Drop._

I can see this puddle of dark water or well liquid since the floor is black so I can't tell what it is exactly but it seems to cover the whole floor.

_Drip._

I can see the liquid shiver as another dripping drop lands in it around what looks to be the centre of the part I am facing.

_Drop._

Why is it here?

_Drip._

Where is it coming from?

_Drop._

My eyelids are so heavy. I don't think I can keep them open for much longer.

_Drip._

The sound seems to be loud at the very start but then it fades to silence.

I find myself unconscious a few seconds or less after.

No one's P.O.V.

"Have we found them?" Someone says turning slightly to look to the ones that enter the room.

"Not yet." One reports back.

The person frowns then waves an arm aggressively. "GO! Find them!"

The ones that entered the room turn and race away.

The person lowers the arm then turns to look to a door. The person goes past it then comes into the next room only to stop. "I suppose you should feel lucky we accidently subdued you enough for you to have not awoken when we tossed water onto you to try to awaken you." The person turns to the doorway that is the only entrance and exit door of the room. "However things cannot continue how it is. If things were completed now well it would cause some complications." The person looks over their own shoulder. "A caged animal…. Quite a way to be." The person then faces forward leaving the room as the next words were spoken. "I doubt you'll ever be released from your cage."

Meanwhile….

The survivors have found a store and now they are stocking up on all they need.

Matt spots a note book and goes over to it picking it up.

The outer part of it is made of soft dark brown durable material Matt isn't fully sure what it is but his best guess is a fuzzy leather. The cover has a pattern of vines with leaves then kid made yet artistic like design flowers in the spaces Finally there is a thin long piece of material the outer layer of the book is made of wrapped around the book then the end spiraled along the part wrapped around the book as if to keep it closed. It's decent sized too!

Matt goes to a very impatient Mello. "Say Mello." He says getting the blondes attention. "Why don't you start the book about our adventures?" He suggests holding up the note book. "It'll not only keep your mind off of Near for a little bit but it'll give you something to do instead of impatiently wait for us to stock all the backpacks up." He explains.

Mello hesitates a moment then reaches out and takes the book from Matt. He then looks to it as he holds it about chest level looking down at it.

Matt smiles softly and grabs a pen from the cashier area that is right close by. He hands Mello the pen. "Here. Go ahead." He says.

Mello takes the pen looking to it then closes his eyes for a second with a small sigh then opens his eyes half way. "I suppose." He says.

Matt grins that his friend agreed. "Great! I'll let you know when we are done." He rushes back to helping stock up the backpacks.

Mello sits on the floor with his back against the cashier area that keeps the thing up. He opens the book then opens the pen. "Alright. Here I go." He says as he turns it to the front page.

The pages are a little dimly yellowish white color as if to make the book have a slightly older look.

Mello takes a deep breath. "Well….. Here I go." He uses his legs to as a surface to keep the book on since his knees are bent anyways. He pauses for a little bit to figure out how to start it then when he decides to have an opening instead of leaping right into the story he begins writing bringing the pen to the clean surface of the page. He mummers what he is writing to himself.

_It happened so very long ago. _

_I can't remember exactly how long ago as I began loosing count as the days dragged on. _

_But I can remember the events that took place as this all began. _

_When the world began to shift in a dangerous and dark direction. When humanity began to plunge down into the depths of no return just as people predicted for so long that humanity would fall one day... But it didn't happen in the way that they thought it would._

_Oh no. It happened in a way no one could have even thought._

_Now this place that we survivors that have lived so far in, as death is always a possibility, the place we call home is nothing more than a large waste land of what used to be great beauty... Until THEY came along and humanity plunged into destruction... Into a world of insanity, despair and hardship._

_It's possible that humanity will never ever recover from this but that doesn't mean us who have survived so far are going to give up._

_We will continue fighting until our dying breaths._

_I decided to write this to remember the tale of humanities fall into destruction with hope that if I die before I see humanity's rebirth then I hope that possible future generations will find this fully true tale of our adventures... Our survival... Our battle... However you wish to say it. For we are the ones that have survived this long so we are the survivors! _

_Perhaps you are a little confused on everything I am talking about. _

_We should probably start you at the beginning of this story..._

Mello raises the pen off the page and reads what he has written so far. "It's a start." He says. He blinks noticing movement and looks up slightly looking to the side seeing the others approaching with the backpacks. He closes the pen then the book even putting the thing around it to keep it closed.

Matt hands Mello the blondes bag. "Ready?"

Mello puts the book and pen into the bag. "Do you really need to ask?" He questions.

Matt, closing his eyes, laughs in an 'guess not haha' way with a hand going to the back of his head.

Soon they are on the move and they cautiously peer outside of the building glancing around for any signs of the enemy.

AN:

I'm not sure if it will affect my writing schedule or not but I have a band now but really it more than likely won't be a huge change in it. That much I can say with a lot of certainty.

Anyways back to the story.

Wow this story is longer than I expected it would be but I'm glad people are enjoying it so far even so.

I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. I enjoy your wonderful reviews by the way thank you so much to such nice people.

You are the reason I keep writing.

Reviews are awesome and flamers will be used to make fudge!

Mello.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter twenty five:

It looks all clear so they leave the building and begin their journey to find Near and of course survive.

"Maybe we should follow some beasts." Mello suggests. "Secretly." He turns to look to the others. "They might lead us to Near."

"Mello." Matt speaks. "We really need to also think about our safety." He points out. "Yes it may seem like an ok idea but we need to remember that if we do that we run the risk of being attacked as well as cornered."

Mello's eyes narrow. "We need to find Near!" He hisses in a slight growl and he stops walking as he hisses out the words causing the others to stop in their tracks as well.

"And we will." Allen steps forward while the youngest ones kind of hang back not adding anything on the matter.

Not feeling they should.

"We just need to also think of our safety." Allen continues and silently wonders if he should place a hand on Mello's shoulder to try to calm or even comfort the fiery blonde but hesitates not knowing if the blonde will explode if he does. "We won't be any help to Near if we get captured, turned or hurt before we even can begin to think of anything to help him." He points out.

Mello looks down and though his hands ball into tight fists his face is flashing through many emotions from sorrow to anger then to determination then it just continues until he settles on a determined look with a slightly thoughtful spark in his eyes showing he is thinking.

"Near wouldn't have wanted you or any of us to throw ourselves into danger." Allen says.

Matt opens his mouth to say something but Allen continues.

"He gave himself to the beasts to save you Mello." Allen says looking really really serious at Mello as the two's eyes lock as if in an intense staring contest where neither plan on backing down. "Don't let what he did go in vain. We will find him and we will help him but throwing ourselves right into danger isn't the way to go."

Mello's teeth clench and his fists curl up tighter. "You're only saying that because you didn't know him like I did!" He snaps with a glare. "You have no idea what it's like! What it's like to lose someone you care for! To lose someone when it's your fault! You don't EVEN know!" He has a growl in his voice as he snaps at Allen. He turns away his eyes shrouded in darkness of the shadows cast from his bangs in obvious anger as his head is still turned a little to the others. "I can't expect someone like you to understand." He says still with the growl in his voice but no longer in a snapping tone as he more or less states it instead. He turns fully away after saying that.

Allen's face falls and he lowers his head so his bangs case shadows over his eyes…. However… His face isn't easy to read so Matt can't tell what Allen is feeling right now.

Silence hangs thickly over them.

Matt looks from one to the other unsure what to say or do at the moment.

Igneous and Kaori cling to each other a little scared and worried about what's going on.

"Mello." Matt speaks as he keeps looking from one to the other. "Allen." He opens his mouth to say something but his attention is brought to Allen.

"No….." Allen speaks suddenly in a low tone. "You're wrong."

Mello barely shows he acknowledges Allen's words.

Near's P.O.V.

I find myself once again opening my eyes. I see a puddle of what looks like water on the floor and a drop falls from my face only to go down splashing into the puddle. I shiver as the breeze feels like it's blowing right through me. I can't move as my body is so heavy and my eyes remain half way open. I'm not fully sure where I am however I have a feeling that I do know where I am… But if I do then it is locked away somewhere in my hazy mind where I cannot retrieve it.

The room seems to be a little dimly lit and in the puddle I think I see the reflection of a broken window with what possibly looks to be getting closer to the time that it will begin to change color as it begins to set but there is still time before that happens.

I hope Mello and the others will find me soon. I'm not sure how much longer I have before the darker version of myself goes with his plan to use me to be forever free causing the end for me.

However….

I have a feeling I don't have long left.

Please… Mello…. Matt… Allen….. Igneous… Kaori… Someone… Find me! Please.

My eyes slip closed as I know I can't do anything but wait.

There really isn't anything for me to do.

I hope that there will be a delay in my darker sides plan so the others have more time to come find me.

No one's P.O.V.

Matt takes a step between the two. "Hey. Hey." He says trying to bring peace. "Let's not fight." He looks to Allen then to Mello. "What do you say we start looking for any clues to possibly lead us to where Near is. Chasing beasts right now won't get us anywhere but terribly lost in which we could end up getting attacked by the beasts ending up not being able to help Near." He looks to Mello. "That sound fair?"

Silence.

Matt's face turns to worried wondering if he said something wrong. He is about to try saying something else, as his mind races to find more words to try to help the situation, but doesn't get the chance to.

"Fine." Mello says. "The sooner we find Near the better. But I'm not getting caught by a beast." He isn't looking at anyone as he has his back to them glaring down at the ground with his eyes in shadows cast from his bangs.

Matt blinks still feeling worried about the blonde and now Allen as well.

"Fine." Allen agrees. "Let's get going." He takes the lead along with Mello but there is a space between them as they won't even look at each other.

The others follow feeling worried that the rift between the two will worsen unless they find Near.

They walk as they look for any signs of where Near could have been taken to.

Matt groans as they continue walking. "Bouku wa tabe tai." He complains.

"You can eat later." Mello growls to the other. "Right now we need to try to find any clues leading us to Near." He turns to look back at the other. "Got it?"

Matt nods. "Hai."

Mello turns away again after that and they continue walking the tension still felt but they stay together as a group without any arguing.

Kaori and Igneous play a game of chase with each other but staying close while the older ones continue to look for any sign to lead them to where Near could have been taken.

The silence seems to be eerie around them as the elder ones stay tensely alert for danger while still looking to find Near.

Suddenly after a little of them walking the older ones stop causing the younger ones to stop and turn to the older ones.

The older ones look around as if they had heard possible danger.

The younger ones rush over to Allen and cling to his pants legs hiding behind him.

Mello takes a few steps forward then he looks side to side to check for an all clear. He thinks he sees something in the nearby ally making him turn right to it as he slightly passed over it. He doesn't see what he saw but doesn't want to take any chances. He takes off his bag grabbing a lighter then closes the bag tossing his bag to Matt. "Stay there." He orders as he begins cautiously advancing towards the ally way lighter ready to light if needed.

Matt catches the bag a little clumsily but manages to catch it without dropping it.

Mello continues cautiously and stays on high alert. "Come on. Show yourself and take me to Near." He says to himself as he continues to look for any sign of anything.

The glimpse of whatever it was happened to be too quick for Mello to properly identify what he saw for sure but he is more than sure it was a beast that must have ducked into hiding.

Mello continues a little farther into the ally stopping at the spot he was sure he saw the beast standing at. "Where are you? You little fucker." He growls quietly to himself as he looks around for the beast he is sure he saw.

AN:

Bouku wa tabe tai. Means I want to eat in Japanese using the male word for I instead of the female one, and, Hai. Means yes in Japanese.

I happen to be in a Japanese class so I may sneak in some Japanese sentences but the translations will be in the AN.

Hope you've enjoyed and will continue to enjoy.

Reviews are awesome and flamers will be used to make cookies.

Mello.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter twenty six:

Mello looks around himself trying to locate the beast he is sure he saw.

"It probably left." Matt says. "Come on Mello. Let's go."

Mello hesitates only there is no sign of the beast not even up above. He grumbles and turns to begin leaving to head back to the others.

Allen's P.O.V.

I look away and try to hold back my sadness….. It's all too familiar…. This scene…..

Suddenly…..

"MELLO! LOOK OUT!" Matt shouts.

I blink and turn to look wide eyed at what's going on.

Mello turns just in time as a beast jumps down from the building wall it was on. He is tackled to the ground with the lighter he was holding being knocked out of his hand and away from him. He tries to hold off the beast.

I find myself frozen on the spot as my heart skips a beat.

No….. No! This can't be happening!

Flash back:

I walk along with my lover Jared.

We only have each other and we are walking through the streets keeping alert while we are trying to find a way to leave. We know that if we stay then we are likely to get attacked by beasts.

Jared turns to me with that amazing smile of his. He has dirty blonde hair and kind caring light brown eyes. He is a little taller than me and is currently wearing a dark grey t-shirt with slightly tight grey sweats and dirty from all our walking white runners.

I return his smile lovingly and I lean a little against him our hands have been joined between us for a while now almost since we started walking today.

He kisses my forehead lovingly.

I close my eyes softly as I enjoy my lovers love and I know he knows I love him so much as well.

We are a match simply made for each other.

True love if you will.

I open my eyes and look up to my lover only to look forward as we continue to walk.

There hasn't been a beast in a while.

I raise my head as up ahead there appears to be the exit out of town. "We're almost there!" I say glad that soon it'll all be over and we can escape to hopefully where there are no beasts to try to kill us. I race ahead and our hands slip apart but I don't go far before stopping to turn to wait for my lover.

Suddenly he looks scared. "ALLEN LOOK OUT!" He suddenly calls to me.

"Huh?" My happy face falls and I turn scared to the direction he glanced to.

A beast is climbing down the wall and moving quickly.

My eyes widen and I prepare to run…. But…...

The beast leaps down and tackles me to the ground.

"ALLEN!" Jared starts running towards me as I notice out of the corner of my eye.

I try to hold the beast off and I feel my heart race in fear.

Jared! Please help me!

I mentally call out even though I know he is hurrying to try to save me. I continue to try to fearfully hold the beast off.

"GET OFF OF MY BEAUTY!" Jared shouts then slams himself into the beast.

The beast roars as it is knocked off balance causing it to roll off of me.

"Jared!" I happily hug him.

He holds me. "Come on. We need to get going."

I nod and we begin to run hoping to escape our hands once again joined.

Suddenly the beast is heard chasing us.

I don't want to look back….. I can't and won't.

Then Jared is tackled and our hands slip apart once again.

"JARED!" I rush to help but two other beasts jump in my way knocking me backwards.

"ALLEN!" Jared looks to me with pleading eyes but I can tell he's also scared.

I begin to get up to once again try to save my lover.

"ALLOY!" Jared calls me by my real name though it isn't uncommon when we are making love, when he wants to say something extremely serious and well he doesn't call me Allen all the time.

Allen is a nickname I've had for so long that I can go by Allen or Alloy but ever since I got with Jared he was the main person who called me Alloy at anytime.

I can't lose him!

He means so much to me!

I am his as he has claimed me and he always tells me he is also mine.

We were friends for a good while then I finally admitted I loved him in which he kissed me.

I love him and he loves me back.

"ALLOY!" He says my name again. "RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!"

I get up and shake my head trying to hold back tears. "NO! I'M NOT GOING TO ABANDON YOU!" I call back and I charge to try to knock the beast off of him so we can escape together.

Jared's eyes turn even more pleading. "Please Alloy." He says with pleading in his voice.

I keep trying to hold back my tears as I continue to charge.

Almost… There…..

However the other two beasts step closer and put out their slightly longer little legs causing me to hit them with no time to dodge.

They push me back and I hit a nearby stand with some lighters knocking it down making a mess.

I had closed my eyes for impact then I open them only to see the other two beasts turn going to Jared who is still trying to hold off the beast on top of him.

The last thing I see is of him watching me worriedly, scared and pleading.

He slightly reaches towards me. "ALLOY!"

I reach towards him too as I get up grabbing a lighter with my other hand hoping that having a weapon will help against these beasts. "JARED!"

Then the beasts block my view.

I begin to hurry to get up to hurry to help my lover.

"RU-" Jared is suddenly cut off.

"JARED!" I scream fearful and I race to help him….. But I slow to a stop in horror as the beasts part…..

Jared and the beast that had tackled him are now standing….. Jared's head is down so there is shadows over his eyes cast from his bangs.

I shake my head in horror as tears begin to slightly blur my vision. "No….." I take a step back.

No….. This is a nightmare…. A nightmare! Right?

Jared raises his head to look to me with the other beasts but I know it's no longer him.

My lover….. Has been turned to the beasts side unwillingly.

I shake as tears fall down my face.

The now four beasts start to approach and on instinct I raise the lighter to defend myself.

I walk a little back as they continue to approach then I light it and it makes the beasts all stop. I realize they are scared of fire. I glare angrily but at the same time depressed with tears. "This is for Jared!" I move forward and I try to light the nearest beast… Only…. It doesn't work… My eyes widen as I realize that the beasts are scared of fire and possibly can be hurt by it as the beast jumps back… But….. They aren't flammable…..

No….

I back off scared but I keep the lighter out in front of me making the closest ones back off. "I love you Jared. I'm sorry." I say as my final words in hope that somehow Jared can really hear me. I then turn and run off crying as I go. I stop when I am panting heavily only to glance back.

Not followed.

I move into an alley putting my back against the wall only to slide down it. I now am sitting with my knees up against my chest, my arms wrapped around my legs and my forehead against my knees as I sob crying over the loss of my lover. "Oh Jared. I'm so so sorry." I sob. "If only I hadn't run up ahead. You'd still be here." I continue to sob as tears continue to fall down my face in waterfalls. "It's all my fault!" I cry until my boy forces me to stop when all I am doing is giving dry sobs as I ran out of tears. I raise my head to stare at my knees as I sniffle.

The lighter gleams in the lighter making me turn to it.

I reach over to it picking it up only to stare at it as it rests in the cupped palms of my hands. "Jared….." I let myself remember what happened….. "I won't let what you did go in vain." I promise. "I will fight the beasts." I glance up to the sky lowering my hands to hover above my crotch while still holding the lighter. "I will fight for you. I promise you. And….. I love you so much." I stay there for a little longer then I get up putting the lighter in my pocket only to begin moving once again… This time on my own…..

End of flashback.

It was all my fault that Jared was turned into a beast.

My eyes close then reopen with fierce determination as well as anger.

Not this time!

I'm not going to let you take another person for your army! I make sure Kaori and Igneous aren't holding me then I race forward speeding past Matt and I tackle the beast hard throwing it off Mello only for it to hit the wall.

Mello gets up as I stand between Mello and the beast as I glare a deadly glare at the beast.

The beast gets up and shakes it's head only to look to me angrily.

I keep up my glare.

Not this time you trash of creatures!

The beast is about to charge towards us to attack again….. Only…. It turns it's head to the side suddenly as if it heard something. It then begins to race away.

Mello follows after it making the rest of us survivors eyes widen.

We give chase and the younger ones manage to keep up but Matt stays close to them just in case.

The beast leads us through the streets only to turn a corner.

Once I turn to the corner I skid to a stop as Mello has stopped as well.

Matt, Igneous and Kaori all also skid to stops as I hear them behind me.

"What is this?" Mello says as we find ourselves looking at a building that is still standing but in ruin at the same time.


End file.
